The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth
by RosesandThorns666
Summary: After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Hi! Okay, here's the second fic in the series and it starts from just after where the first fic ended!

As usual, the chapter is only short, but they will be much longer as the story goes on.

Hope you enjoy! Reviews are loved, appreciated and welcomed! xxxxxxxxxx

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter One**

Blaire awoke to see a white light, the face of her mother becoming clearer through the gorgeous brightness before her.

"Momma?"

"Hi, baby girl…" Mary said sweetly, stroking her wounded child's face gently, "You're not to stay here, honey. Your brothers need you…your father needs you."

"But, Mom…I…they're dead…" Blaire breathed, "Dean…Dean can't have survived that…"

"He has, but you need to go back…" Mary said, kissing her daughter's head, "I love you, Blaire."

"Love you, Mom."

Blaire's eyes shot open and she was met with the eyes of a woman who was very like her mother, kind eyes and gentle voice awakening her. The vague sounds of sirens filled the air and then she saw her brother.

"Tell me if they're okay!" He was yelling, "Tell me if they're okay!"

"S-Sam?" She asked, trying not to sob in the horrendous pain in her side, "Sammy?"

"Blaire!" Sam cried, running towards his sister and kneeling by her side, "Oh my God, you're alive!"

"Sammy…" Blaire breathed, her lower lip trembling as the fear set in, "Where are Dean and Dad…"

"I don't know, sweetheart, I don't know." Sam replied, taking her hand and kissing it, "You're gonna be okay."

* * *

After her roadside fix-up, Blaire was taken to the hospital with her family and she currently stood by Dean's bed, taking his hand in her own as she winced at the pain in her side. She was okay to be up and about, and to go and see her family, which she was grateful for because Dean looked frankly horrible as he lay here all battered and bruised.

"Oh, Dean…" She whispered, kissing his forehead, "Please say you can hear me…"

It hurt to see her brother so ill. Sam hadn't told her what the doctors had said and that not only pissed her off but it scared the life out of her too.

"Blaire?" Blaire looked up and she saw Dean standing at the edge of the bed, jumping and letting the body's hand go, "Blaire, you can see me?"

"Dean?" She asked, "Wh…wha…what?"

"I know…" Dean breathed, looking at his body, "They…they say I might not wake up, but I'm gonna, girl, you see if I don't."

"Why can I see you…?" She asked, everything suddenly slotting into place as she gasped, "I saw Mom…"

"Huh?" Dean asked, looking at his sister's bruised and cut face.

"I saw Momma…" She whispered, "When…when I woke up I was surrounded by light and Mom told me to come back because you guys all need me…"

"Near death?" Dean asked, Blaire nodding in response.

"I think…oh God, I'm Haley Joel Osmond…"

Dean chuckled and looked at his body.

"Can you tell Sam what I'm saying?" He asked, Blaire nodding at him.

"Only if…if he knows I'm being serious and not playing a stupid joke…" She breathed, "I've gotta be careful here."

This was so damn scary. She was talking to her brother's wandering spirit, and now she had to reveal to her father and her brother that Dean was indeed walking amongst them…just in a spirit.

The stress never ends.

-TBC-

* * *

**Not much detail, I know, but we're gonna be looking at 2,500-4,000 word chapters because if not this fic would go on forever. **

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**xxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Okay...we'll say 2,500-3,500 as the word count, but anyway, I'm gonna try and write longer chapters so the story doesn't go on forever.

ENJOY CHAPTER TWO!

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Two**

Blaire headed back to her Bobby's salvage yard wondering what on Earth had happened to her in between the time of the crash and her awakening. She was concerned that she could see her brother's ghost…very concerned. She saw the man who she considered a second father and she broke into tears, limping towards him and hugging him tight.

"Oh God, Bobby..."

"Shhh, it's okay. Come on, let me show you the car."

They headed out to the salvage yard slowly, Blaire able to chuckle in this horrendous mess that was beginning to spill around her.

"Oh man, Dean is gonna be pissed."

"Look, Blaire. This... this just ain't worth a tow." Bobby breathed, "I say we empty the trunk, sell the rest for scrap."

"No. Dean would kill me if we did that." She replied, trying not to cry, "When he gets better he's gonna want to fix this."

"There's nothing to fix. The frame's a pretzel, and the engine's ruined." Bobby told her, "There's barely any parts worth salvaging."

"Listen to me, Bobby. If there's only one working part, that's enough." Blaire replied, one tear rolling down her face, "We're not just going to give up on..."

"Okay." Bobby said quietly, "You got it."

"Here, uh, Dad asked for you to get this stuff for him." She said, passing Bobby a list.

Bobby frowned as he looked at the list, looking to Blaire with a raised eyebrow.

"What's John want with this?"

"Protection from the demon?" She replied, not liking the look Bobby was giving her, "What?"

"Nothing, it's just, um…" Bobby stuttered, Blaire smelling a rat instantly.

"Bobby? What's going on?"

* * *

"Blaire! Tell me you can friggin' hear me, girl, there's something in the hospital." Dean said, Blaire turning and looking at him with a glare as she returned to watch the argument going on before her, "Now, you've got to bring me back and we've got to hunt this thing."

"That's exactly my point!" Sam yelled at John in the midst of the argument, "Dean is dying, and you have a plan! You know what, you care more about killing this demon than you do saving your own son!"

"No, no, no, guys," Dean breathed, Blaire putting her hands to her head, "Don't do this!"

"Guys, you're upsetting Dean…" She said, "Stop it."

Both men looked at her and she stared at them helplessly.

"What?" John asked, "Dean's unconscious, Blaire, just stop your attention seeking and stay the hell out of this!"

"He's standing right by you guys and you don't even know…" She breathed, "You know when the car crashed, I saw Mom..."

John and Sam looked at her with questioning eyes.

"She told me that you guys needed me…that I was needed down here…" She told them, "And then…then I went into Dean's room and I saw him looking at his own body…"

"Atta girl…" He breathed, "Tell them they're complete jerks."

"He says you're complete jerks, and I actually agree with him." She said, not liking the looks coming from her siblings, "You want proof? Dean, do something…Swayze something!"

Dean looked around and saw a glass of water by John's bed, getting so angry that he just swung his arm and it flew to the floor.

"Atta boy!"

He hunched in pain though and Blaire looked concerned.

"Oh God…" She breathed, running for the door despite her pain, "DEAN!"

* * *

"No…" Sam breathed as he and Blaire watched their brother being resuscitated.

"Dean, come on," Blaire said softly, "Fight! Fight, Dean Winchester!"

Blaire saw something though, a spirit hovering over Dean's body.

"Oh my God…" She breathed, "Oh no…no…back the hell away from him…"

"Blaire?" Sam asked, Blaire not tearing her eyes away.

She saw Dean fight the spirit, gasping as it rushed out of the door past her, Dean sprinting after it. It was gone and the pair shared looks before all the Winchesters turned their attention to the monitors which slowed and beeped.

"We have a pulse." A nurse said, "We're back into sinus rhythm."

"Don't worry, guys. I'm not going anywhere. I'm getting that thing before it gets me." Dean whispered, winding his arms around Blaire, "It's some kind of spirit, but I could grab it. And if I can grab it, I can kill it."

Blaire sighed and pressed to the gentle weight of her brother against her.

"I love you, Dean…" She whispered, the contented smile on her face puzzling Sam, "Touch Sam…let him know you're there, Dean…"

Dean reached over and put his hand on Sam's shoulder, squeezing and seeing no reaction from Sam.

"Close your eyes." Blaire said, Sam doing so and standing patiently.

Dean slid his hand into Sam's hair and tickled his ears, Sam flinching and ducking away.

"Oh my God…" He cried, Blaire chuckling in response.

"I told you!" She said, "I told you!"

She saw Dean running away, turning and following him.

"Sam, people are dying in this hospital, okay?" She said, "You have to listen to me…"

"Blaire…" Sam replied, "You…this is insane…"

With that he walked away.

* * *

Blaire sat alone on a bench outside the hospital, wishing she hadn't had this thing given to her. She was seeing spirits all over the place and she hated it, all of them moving towards her with outstretched arms, all lost souls.

"Not now, thanks, guys." She said, being a little sarcastic, "Not now."

The spirits disappeared and she blinked in shock, looking around her and smiling.

"Well…that takes care of business when I don't want a visit." She laughed to herself, turning at the sound of Sam's voice.

"BLAIRE!" He yelled, "Dean's awake!"

Blaire gasped and broke into a run, the pain in her side barely there now as she sprinted into the hospital.

Reaching his room, she broke into tears and hugged him tight.

"Oh, God…Dean!" She breathed, "Dean, you're okay!"

"Hey, Blaire…" He replied, holding her close and kissing her temple, "Don't cry, it's okay…"

The knock at the door made the family look up to see John hovering in the doorway.

"How you feeling, dude?" He asked, Dean smiling weakly at his father.

"Fine, I guess." He replied, "I'm alive."

"That's what matters." John said, Blaire wary of the incredibly angry look Sam cast his father.

"Where were you last night?"

"I had some things to take care of." John replied, none of the Winchesters liking where this was going.

"Well, that's specific."

Blaire huffed and kissed Dean's cheek, then her father's and then her baby brothers.

"I'm sorry," She breathed, "I love you all but I ain't listening to this."

With that, she headed out of the room, and it was to become one of her biggest regrets.

* * *

Sam's screaming alerted Blaire who sprinted down after the sound, Dean following her and grabbing her arms as she tried to reach her dad who was collapsed on the floor. They couldn't lose their dad…not now…they'd all only just gotten back together…

"No, no, no, it's our dad." Dean breathed, "It's our dad!"

"Come on!" Blaire cried, her brothers holding her close as they watched the team attempt to revive their father.

"Okay, stop compressions."

"NO!" Blaire screamed, struggling against Dean and Sam who held her still.

"Still no pulse." A nurse said, the Winchesters watching one of their worst nightmares coming true.

Their father was dead.

"I'll call it." one of the doctors said, "Time of death: 10:41 am."

Blaire broke into heavy sobs and turned in her brothers' arms, the two of them holding her close as they all began to grieve for their father.

* * *

Dean slid his hand into Blaire's, the young woman squeezing it tight while Sam held her other. They stood and watched their father burn, all grieving in their own way.

"Before he…before, did he say anything to you?" Sam asked, tearfully, "About anything?"

"No." Dean replied coldly, "Nothing."

Blaire burst into sobs and turned, burying her face in Dean's shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her, Sam holding her two and sharing a sad look with Dean who kissed Blaire's temple and rubbed her back. As if she wasn't hurting enough, she had this to contend with too, but they all did, and knowing Blaire, she'd just get on with it after tonight.

"I love you guys…" She sobbed.

"Love you too." Dean whispered weakly.

"Love you, Blaire." Sam added, kissing Blaire's head and stroking a hand through her blonde waves as she rested against her older brother.

* * *

"How's the car coming along?" Blaire asked as she stood by the Impala, Dean working religiously under it as he went to rebuild his baby.

"Slow." He replied, Blaire chuckling in response.

"Yeah? Need any help?" She asked, Dean laughing as he dropped something heavy.

"No thanks, hon. You're okay." He said softly, Blaire smiling at her brother's voice.

"Need anything else, then?" She asked, Dean sliding out from under the car.

"Stop it, Blaire."

"Stop what?" Blaire asked, oblivious to why her actions were pissing off her brother.

"Stop asking if I need anything, stop asking if I'm okay." He said, tone turning softer as he saw Blaire's dejected look, "I'm okay. Really. I promise."

"Alright, Dean, it's just..." Blaire began, "We've been at Bobby's for over a week now and you haven't brought up Dad once."

"You know what? You're right. C'mere. I'm gonna lay my head gently on your shoulder." Dean said with a hint of venom, "Maybe we can cry, hug, and maybe even slow dance."

"Don't you dare patronise me, Dean, Dad is dead." Blaire snapped, "The Colt is gone, and it seems pretty damn likely that the demon is behind all of this, and you're acting like nothing happened."

"Well what do you want me to say?" Dean asked, neither sibling hearing Sam approaching.

"Say something, all right? Hell, say anything! Aren't you angry?" Sam asked, making both Winchesters jump, "Don't you want revenge? But all you do is sit out here all day long buried underneath this damn car."

"Revenge, huh?" Dean asked.

"Yeah." Sam replied, Blaire sighing and shaking her head.

"Sam…" She warned.

"Sounds good. You got any leads on where the demon is? Making heads or tails of any of Dad's research? Because I sure ain't." Dean bit, "But you know, if we do finally find it…oh. No, wait, like you said. The Colt's gone."

He chuckled bitterly and the sound sent a shiver down Blaire's spine.

"But I'm sure you've figured out another way to kill it. We've got nothing, Sam!" He yelled, "Nothing, okay? So you know the only thing I can do? I can work on the car!"

"Well, we've got something, alright?" Sam said, Blaire looking up, intrigued at her brother when he pulled out a cell phone, "It's what I came by here to tell you. This is one of dad's old phones. Took me a while, but i cracked his voicemail code. Listen to this."

The family gathered to listen to the message.

_"John, it's Ellen. Again."_ A stern voice said, _"Look, don't be stubborn, you know I can help you. Call me." _

"That message is four months old." Sam said, Dean raising an eyebrow.

"Dad saved that chick's message for four months?"

"Yeah."

"Well, who's Ellen?" Blaire asked, "Any mention of her in Dad's journal?"

"No." Sam replied, "But I ran a trace on her phone number and I got an address."

"Ask Bobby if we can use one of his cars." Blaire said, turning and heading back to the house.

* * *

"Sam? Dean?" The woman with a gun aimed at Sam's head asked, "Winchester?"

"Boys, you okay?" Blaire asked, wandering in and finding her brothers at gunpoint, "Oh…take it they weren't expecting us."

"Damnit, Blaire…" Dean muttered, shaking his head a little.

"Blaire?" The woman asked.

"Uh…hi there…" Blaire said with a soft smirk.

"Son of a bitch." The woman breathed, the young woman holding Dean hostage raising an eyebrow.

"Mom, you know these guys?" She asked.

"Yeah, I think these are John Winchester's kids." The woman said, laughing and lowering the rifle, "Hey, I'm Ellen. This is my daughter Jo."

"Hey." Jo said, lowering her gun and letting a soft gleam cross over her eyes.

Blaire knew that twinkle, the familiar gleam in a woman's eyes that just told her what they were after.

Dean.

Perfect.

-TBC-


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Three**

Dean welcomed the ice to his face as Ellen passed him a towel with some wrapped in it, savouring the feel of the cold against his throbbing nose.

"Here you go." Ellen said softly, Dean smiling gratefully.

"Thanks. You called our dad…said you could help." Dean began, "Help with what?"

"Well, the demon, of course." Ellen replied, looking at the siblings, "I heard he was closing in on it."

"What, was there an article in the Demon Hunters Quarterly that I missed?" Dean asked, "I mean, who, who are you? How do you know about all this?"

"Hey, I just run a saloon. But hunters have been known to pass through now and again." Ellen explained, "Including your dad a long time ago. John was like family once."

"Oh yeah? How come he never mentioned you before?" Dean asked.

"You'd have to ask him that." Ellen said, pain biting Blaire like a rabid dog at the notion.

"So why exactly do we need your help?" Dean asked.

"Hey, don't do me any favours." Ellen snapped, "Look, if you don't want my help, fine. Don't let the door smack your ass on the way out. But John wouldn't have sent you if..."

She stopped, realising something.

"He didn't send you." She breathed, "He's alright, isn't he?"

"No. No, he isn't. It was the demon, we think." Sam said, one tear falling down Blaire's greying face, "It, um, it just got him before he got it, I guess."

Blaire hated being without her father. If anyone was close to him it was her. She'd been with him through it all.

"I'm so sorry." Ellen breathed, Blaire raising a hand in response.

"It's okay…" She said softly, breathing a shaky sigh, "We're okay."

"Really?" Ellen asked, reading Blaire's feelings like a book, "I know how close you and your dad were."

"Really, I'm fine." Blaire replied, Dean and Sam sharing a look before sighing.

"So look, if you can help," Sam began, trying to take the attention away from Blaire, "We could use all the help we can get."

"Well, we can't." Ellen replied, "But Ash will."

"Who's Ash?" Sam asked.

"Ash!" Ellen yelled, the man who'd been passed out at the table jumping up and flailing.

"What? It closin' time?" He asked, Dean, Sam and Blaire all raising eyebrows.

"That's Ash?" Blaire asked.

"Mm-hmm." Jo replied, "He's a genius."

* * *

Ash looked Blaire up and down as she sat on the roof of the minivan, legs crossed as she nursed a beer. She looked up at the moon and sighed, Ash's breath catching at how gorgeous she was. She wiped her eyes and he ran a hand through his hair, trying to play it cool as he headed towards her.

"Hey," He began, Blaire looking down at him, "Did it hurt?"

"What?" Blaire asked.

"When you fell from Heaven." Ash replied with a chuckle, Blaire bursting into laughter and breathing heavily after.

"Thanks for that." She said softly, "Needed a laugh."

"Well…the meaning behind it was serious…" Ash said, "You kinda look all...angel-ish in this light…well…like an angel with a bright pink tank top and black pants…"

"Thanks." Blaire said sweetly, "I like the hair by the way."

Ash smiled and huffed out a laugh nodding and raising his eyebrows.

"Your brother said the same."

"Dean?"

Ash nodded and climbed up beside her, looking at the moon as she did.

"Sorry to hear about your dad." He said, "Must be tough."

"Yeah…" Blaire replied, "You gotta keep going though, right."

"Yeah."

"So…you think you can track this demon?" She asked, "Really?"

"You bet." Ash replied, "I'll get started in a while, just thought I'd come and see if you were okay…"

"Didn't know you were so considerate." Blaire chuckled, Ash grinning in response.

"Those jerks in there don't seem too bothered about you though." He said, "Do they even know you're still upset about this?"

"They're more focussed on revenge I think," Blaire replied sadly, "But it's always kinda been the same…"

The silence made her laugh and she blushed a little.

"Sorry." She said softly, "Things went a little chick-flick then."

"Hey," Ash said, the tenderness in his voice alien to him as he looked at the girl beside him, "Don't be sorry for grieving, okay?"

Blaire smiled and nodded, Ash climbing down from the minivan and helping Blaire down before taking her empty beer bottle.

"Think your brothers are waiting for you." He said, Blaire smiling at him.

"Thanks, Ash." She said, feeling a little better for the first time in a damn long time.

She smiled at him, earning a cheeky grin back before they headed inside. She felt something shoot through her chest when he winked at her as she and her brothers left, feeling a yearning she'd not felt for anyone in a long, long time.

* * *

"You've gotta be kidding me." Dean huffed, "A killer clown?"

Blaire closed her eyes and sighed. She and Sam were alike in the sense that they were both ridiculously terrified of clowns. She almost had a panic attack every time she was near one and she knew she might put this case in danger.

"Yeah. He left the daughter unharmed and killed the parents." Sam replied, swallowing nervously as he opened his laptop, "Ripped them to pieces, actually."

"And this family was at some carnival that night?" Blaire asked.

"Right, right." Sam replied, "The, uh, Cooper Carnivals."

"So how do you know we're not dealing with some psycho carnie in a clown suit?" Dean asked.

"Well, the cops have no viable leads, and all the employees were tearing down shop. Alibis all around. Plus this girl said she saw a clown vanish into thin air." Sam explained, "Cops are saying trauma, of course."

"Well, I know what you two are thinking." Dean said with a chuckle, "Why did it have to be clowns?"

"Oh, give me a break." Sam breathed, "And Blaire."

"You didn't think I'd remember, did you?" Dean asked with a laugh, "I mean, come on, you both still burst out crying whenever you see Ronald McDonald on the television."

"Well, at least we're not afraid of flying, jerk." Blaire said with a smirk.

"Planes crash, shrimp!" Dean yelled, Blaire retorting.

"And apparently clowns kill!"

"Guys, chill…" Sam said, "Come on…"

"So these types of murders," Dean asked, "They ever happen before?"

"Uh, according to the file, 1981, the Bunker Brothers Circus, same M.O." Sam replied, "It happened three times, three different locales."

"It's weird, though," Blaire said, "I mean if it is a spirit it's usually bound to a specific locale, you know, a house, or a town."

"So how's this one moving from city to city, carnival to carnival?" Dean asked.

"Cursed object, maybe." Blaire suggested.

"Spirit attaches itself to something and the, uh, carnival carries it around with them." Dean agreed, "Plausible."

"Great. Paranormal scavenger hunt." Sam breathed.

"Well, this case was your idea. By the way, why is that?" Dean asked, "You were awfully quick to jump on this job."

"So?" Sam replied.

"It's just...not like you, that's all." Dean said, "I thought you were hell-bent for leather on the demon hunt."

"I don't know, I just think, this job," Sam began, "It's what Dad would have wanted us to do."

"What Dad would have wanted?" Blaire asked.

"Yeah. So?" Sam said, Blaire huffing in response.

"Nothin'."

* * *

The Winchesters entered their motel room, Blaire moving over to the cot and sitting down.

"Blaire…" Dean began, putting his bags down, "What are you doing?"

"Um…sitting on my bed…" She said, Dean shaking his head.

"No…" Dean said softly, "No, come on…take the bed. The real one."

"No, Dean." Blaire replied, "You've not had a decent night's sleep in a long time…I'll take the cot, it's okay…"

"Not with your side, you won't." Dean said, beckoning his sister closer, "Let me check that scar."

Her side was still hurting her a little and she winced as Dean lifted her tank top and checked the scar, still looking sore.

"No. You're not laying on a cot with that," He said, "Take the bed."

Blaire just nodded and headed over to the bed, putting her bags on it and hissing as the fabric of her shirt caught the last couple of stitches.

"Son of a bitch…" She breathed, "Don't turn around, guys."

The boys shared looks and nodded, trying to ignore the whimper of pain that slipped from her lips as she stretched to get changed.

"Finished." She said softly, the boys turning to see Blaire in a cropped top, scars on stomach and side showing as she climbed onto her bed with her tracksuit pants on, lying on her good side and sliding the sheets over herself before wincing as the fabric caught over her stitches.

"Blaire…" Sam said softly, "You alright?"

"Yeah."

"Blaire…it's six in the evening," Dean told her, "And you're getting in bed…"

"I'm tired, okay?" She snapped unintentionally, "Sorry."

"No." Dean said, "It's okay."

"It's not," Blaire replied, "Shouldn't be taking it out on you…"

"Taking what out?" Sam asked, "Blaire…you're allowed to get upset and to be angry you know…"

"Just leave it, guys." She said, sleepily, "M'fine."

The boys just looked at her and sighed, Dean moving over and pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Night, Blaire."

Sam did the same, stroking a hand through her hair.

"Night, Blaire."

"G'night…"

* * *

The squeaky, rusty minivan pulled up outside the carnival, the Winchesters spotting what they believed to be detectives talking to some of the workers at the carnival.

"Check it out." Dean said, as he returned from speaking to them, "Five-oh."

Sam and Blaire stood still as a tiny woman in a clown costume passed them, sharing nervous and intense stares as she passed. Dean broke into laughter and Blaire regained her breath, Sam tapping Dean's arm.

"Did you get her number?" The older Winchester asked, Blaire and Sam glaring at him in response.

"More murders?" She asked.

"Two more last night. Apparently they were ripped to shreds." Dean revealed, "And they had a little boy with them."

"A clown?" Sam asked.

"A clown," Dean agreed, "Who apparently vanished into thin air."

"Dean, you know, looking for a cursed object is like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles." Blaire breathed, "They could be anything."

"Well, it's bound to give off EMF, so we'll just have to scan everything." Dean said, Blaire nodding and swallowing thickly at the thought of going in there with a killer clown on the loose.

"Oh, good, that's nice and... inconspicuous." Sam said, Blaire tutting in response.

"Sam…" She warned, spotting a sign requesting for help.

"I guess we'll just have to blend in."

* * *

"You kids picked a hell of a time to join up." Mr Cooper said, "Take a seat."

Blaire decided to remain standing while poor Sam had to sit in a clown chair. She felt bad for him but he should've been quicker.

"We've got all kinds of local trouble." Mr Cooper revealed.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"Oh, a couple of folks got themselves murdered." Mr Cooper sighed, "Cops always seem to start here first. So, you three ever worked the circuit before?"

"Nope. But we really need the work." Blaire said, fluttering her eyelashes a little.

"Oh, and uh, Sam here's got a thing for the bearded lady." Dean added.

"You see that picture?" Mr Cooper asked, "That's my daddy."

"You look just like him." Sam remarked.

"He was in the business. Ran a freakshow. Till they outlawed them, most places. Apparently displaying the deformed isn't dignified." Cooper said, Blaire having to bite her tongue at that comment, "So most of the performers went from honest work to rotting in hospitals and asylums. That's progress. I guess. You see, this place, it's a refuge for outcasts. Always has been."

Dean and Sam shared looks while Blaire really having to keep her mouth shut. She hated people calling other people freaks, especially after Sam had said that about her baby.

"For folks that don't fit in nowhere else. But you three?" Cooper chuckled, " You should go to school. Find a couple of girls…"

He looked at Blaire and huffed.

"And guys…you know, have two point five kids. Live regular."

"Sir? We don't want to go to school." Sam said , "And we don't want regular. We want this."

But, even though this had nothing to do with it, Blaire wanted normal. A secret part of her wanted normal, but she'd never tell Sam and Dean. Sam had once had what he wanted, and he lost it because of this life. She wanted someone to love, someone who'd love her, care for her, hold her and protect her. She didn't get anything romantic or any love other than the love her brothers and Bobby gave her…and she felt that it was unfair.

It was all so unfair, and she just hoped and prayed that one day she'd find the love she'd always wanted, the love that was more than the love from friends and family. She wanted to be held, she wanted to be kissed and to have words of love whispered to her as she writhed languidly in ecstasy with a beautiful, loving, caring man. It wasn't fair that she never got the men she liked. Well this time, she had found someone she wanted, and if he wanted her then she'd have him, even if it was for just one night.

Believe it or not, Blaire's thoughts trailed. She thought of Ash.

-TBC-


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Four**

The carnival was alive with children and their parents, the kids all screaming and crying happily as they ran to rides and attractions. Blaire wandered through, doing her job when she spotted a clown, gulping and going white at the sight of it.

Her brothers approached her and she jumped when Dean's hand

"Blaire…?" Dean asked, "What's wrong?"

"Mommy, look at the clown!" A little girl called, pointing at something that neither Dean or Sam could see.

"What clown?" Her mother asked.

"It's over there…" Blaire breathed through gritted teeth, shivering where she stood.

The clown waved at the little girl and she smiled, waving back at it.

"Come on, sweetie, come on." Her mother said, pulling her away.

"It's waving at her…" Blaire whispered, "It's standing there waving at her."

"You can see it?" Dean asked, looking at Blaire's teary eyes that were so wide he thought they'd pop out of her head, "Blaire?"

"I need to go…" She gasped, feeling herself panicking, "I need to get out of here."

"Come on." Sam said, the three of them following the family.

* * *

"Dean, I cannot believe you told Papazian about the homicidal phantom clown." Blaire breathed.

"I told him an urban legend about a homicidal phantom clown," Dean corrected, "I never said it was real."

Dean pulled out his gun and cocked it, Sam gasping and pushing his brother's hand down.

"Keep that down!" He hissed.

"Fucking idjit…" Blaire breathed.

"Oh, and get this. I mentioned the Bunker Brother's Circus in '81," Dean began, "And their, uh, evil clown apocalypse? Guess what."

"What?" Sam and Blaire asked.

"Before Mr. Cooper owned Cooper Carnival, he worked for Bunker Brothers." Dean said, "He was their lot manager."

"Oooh, that's interesting!" Blaire said with her child-like excited expression, "So you think whatever the spirit's attached to, Cooper just brought it with him?"

"Something like that." Dean laughed.

"I can't believe we keep talking about clowns." Sam breathed, both Blaire and Dean chuckling in response.

* * *

Later that night, the family had been waiting for the clown, and had also been seen holding the little girl it'd been waving at earlier. They parked the minivan at a roadside and cleared out their possessions, even the number plates.

"You really think they saw our plates?" Sam asked.

"I don't want to take the chance." Dean said, "Besides, I hate this friggin' thing anyway."

Blaire, who had been deep in thought, headed down the road with her brothers on either side of her.

"Well, one thing's for sure." She said, "We're not dealing with a spirit. I mean, that rock salt hit something solid."

"Yeah, a person?" Sam suggested, "Or maybe a creature that can make itself invisible?"

"Yeah, and dresses up as a clown for kicks?" Dean added, "You see anything in Dad's journal?"

"Nope." Sam said, pulling out his cell phone.

"Who are you calling?" Dean asked.

"Maybe Ellen or that guy Ash'll know something." Sam said, "Hey, you think, uh, you think Dad and Ellen ever had a thing?"

"No way." Blaire breathed.

"Then why didn't he tell us about her?" Sam asked.

"I don't know, maybe they had some sort of falling out." Dean said, the others nodding.

Blaire walked in front as her brothers began to argue, eventually having enough.

"Enough!" She yelled, her brothers staring at her in shock, "Enough, okay? Stop it! We don't need to be fighting right now, we need to be strong…together…as a family."

Sam grimaced at his sister, seeing true pain in her eyes.

"Stop fucking this up, because as we've found with Dad, we don't have forever!" Blaire breathed, "There's gonna come a day when we're not together anymore, so just…just stop…please…"

Her brothers watched her with sad eyes as she turned, walking away with tears rolling down her face. They knew, deep down that she was right.

* * *

"Rakshasa." Sam said as he hung up after talking to Ellen.

"What's that?" Dean asked

"Ellen's best guess. It's a race of ancient Hindu creatures, they appear in human form, they feed on human flesh," Sam explained, "They can make themselves invisible, and they cannot enter a home without first being invited."

"So they dress up like clowns, and the children invite them in." Blaire breathed, "Bastards."

"Why don't they just munch on the kids?" Dean asked.

"No idea." Sam replied honestly, "Not enough meat on the bones, maybe?"

Blaire nodded. The idea seemed plausible enough, since children were only small.

"What else did you find out?" She asked, rubbing a hand over her mouth as Sam continued.

"Well, apparently, Rakshasas live in squalor." Sam said, "They sleep on a bed of dead insects."

Blaire shuddered at the thought, squirming a little in her seat. She hated bugs and believe it or not, it was no secret.

"Nice." Dean replied with a chuckle.

"Yeah, and they have to feed a few times every twenty or thirty years." Sam told them, "Slow metabolism, I guess."

"Well, that makes sense." Blaire piped up, "I mean, the Carnival today, the Bunker Brothers' in '81."

"Right." Sam said, "Probably more before that."

Blaire saw her genius little brother's eyes twinkling with the knowledge in his brain and she smiled. She was proud of him, and proud of Dean. They headed down the road, the sun shining down on them and causing nothing more than a damn inconvenience, making it difficult for them to see.

"Hey Sam, who do we know that worked both shows?" She asked suddenly, Dean sighing.

"Cooper?"

"Cooper."

* * *

Blaire had gone missing while hunting the Rakshasa, and Sam and Dean both panicked when they ran into the funhouse, going to find their little sister.

"Blaire?" Dean called, "Where are you?"

"DEAN!" She cried, "Dean, I killed it!"

The brothers ran over to the source of the voice and found Blaire on her knees, the bloodied body of the Rakshasa by her side. She went to stand but winced, falling back to her knees. Sam picked her up and saw blood trickling down her side.

"Shit," He breathed, "Dean, help me…"

Back at the motel, Blaire drank a little whiskey as the antiseptic spray was applied to her open stitches, Dean holding her still as she writhed on the mattress.

"Sorry, honey." Sam said softly, "Sorry."

"It's okay…just hurry up…" She panted, "Please…"

Dean held her to him and passed Sam the prepared needle and thread, Sam looking his sister right in the eyes.

"This needle is sharp and it's thick…you ready?" He asked, Blaire nodding and burying her face in Dean's neck.

She hated needles, and she always had, even when John had taken her for a simple flu shot and she'd ended having a panic attack at just five years old.

"It's okay…" Dean promised, thinking of something to talk about while Sam stitched her up, "So…you like Ash, huh?"

Blaire smiled weakly, gasping as the needle pushed through her skin, the soreness setting in straight away.

"A little…" She said, "He's hot…"

Dean laughed and smiled softly.

"Go for it." Sam told her as he continued to stitch the wound, "I think he likes you too, Blaire?"

"D-Don't be ridiculous…" She whispered, trembling in Dean's arms through her fear.

"Come on, if you'd seen the way he looked at you before he left," Dean told her, "He looked at you and he so wanted you…you could tell, Blaire…you could tell a mile off."

He felt kinda girly right now, but he was making Blaire feel better, and that was all that mattered.

"Okay, all done." Sam said with a smile, "I've finished."

"Thanks, Sam." Blaire whispered, Dean lifting her a little for Sam to wrap the bandages around her.

The pain and the alcohol had made her drowsy so they put her to bed, watching over her until they fell asleep in their seats.

* * *

"Where you guys been?" Ash asked as he walked into the Roadhouse with a folder and the most bizarre laptop Blaire had ever seen, looking at her on the last part of his sentence, "Been waitin' for ya."

"We were working a job, Ash." Blaire replied, "Clowns?"

"Clowns? What the f…"

"You got something for us, Ash?" Dean asked, the family sitting down to find that Ash had prepared a kinda radar for if the demon should show up.

As Ellen said her goodbyes to Dean and Sam, Ash and Blaire stood outside the saloon.

"So…will I be seeing you again, hot stuff?" Ash asked, Blaire chuckling in response.

"You're not subtle with those compliments are you, Ash?" She said sweetly, "And…um…if you want to."

Ash grinned and looked down at Blaire, looking to her lips and grinning cheekily. Sam and Dean walked out of the doors just in time to see Ash lean down if a little nervously and kiss Blaire's lips.

Blaire was shocked at first but then she just melted into the kiss, her hands winding around Ash's neck as their lips moved slowly. She felt his tongue against her bottom lip, opening her mouth to give him entrance as he deepened the kiss. Pulling back, Blaire bit her lip and blushed before looking up into Ash's eyes.

"Oh yeah…you'll be seeing me again," She told him, kissing him one more time and winking, "Adios, mi amigo!"

Ash grinned and chuckled, Blaire walking past Dean and Sam with a big smile on her face.

And that's what the boys needed to see, Blaire smiling like that. Oh yeah…she'd be seeing Ash again, whether they liked it or not.

* * *

Blaire was sat in Bobby's living room, sipping a beer before her head shot up at the sound of smashing of glass and banging. She ran out into the yard, seeing Dean beating the Impala before he stopped and dropped the crowbar, putting his hands to his head before resting them on his hips, scratching the back of his head as his lower lip trembled. Whatever had just happened had really upset him and she moved closer to him.

"Dean?"

He saw her and looked away in shame, Blaire shaking her head and taking her hand in his own, cupping his cheek before pulling him into an embrace.

"Dean, it's okay…"

Dean actually started to cry, and Blaire felt pain surging through her chest at the sound of his whimpers. Yeah, her brother was whimpering, but she never once judged him or thought less of him for it.

"I'm sorry…" He breathed as she held him tight.

"No, no…" She whispered, "It's okay…let it out…"

Dean cried as he held his sister, Blaire just rocking him gently and rubbing his back. That's what Dean loved about her. She didn't judge, she just looked out for others and provided the comfort they needed, which was one of the reasons why he was so concerned for her safety when it came to men. More than once, she'd seen men play on her heartstrings and take advantage of her good nature, which is why he and Sam were so protective of her. But that kiss she'd shared with Ash had made her so happy, and that's all the Winchester brothers wanted for their sister. They wanted her to be happy.

* * *

Dean was in an incredibly good mood today, clearly because his baby was back in action, the familiar roar of the Impala music to everyone's ears.

"Whoo! Listen to her purr!" Dean cried like a happy child on Christmas morning, "Have you ever heard anything so sweet?"

"You know, if you two want to get a room, just let us know, Dean." Sam chuckled, Dean hushing the car and stroking the dashboard.

"Oh, don't listen to him, baby." He said to the car, "He doesn't understand us."

"You're in a good mood." Blaire said sweetly, Dean smiling at her through the rear-view mirror.

"Why shouldn't I be?" He asked.

"No reason, honey," Blaire replied, "It's just…it's nice."

"Listen, I got my car, got my siblings, got a case, things are looking up." Dean said, watching the road again.

"Wow." Sam huffed, "You hear about a couple of severed heads and a pile of dead cows and you're Mister Sunshine."

"How far to Red Lodge?" Dean asked.

"Uh, about another three hundred miles." Sam replied, a beautiful, yes, beautiful smile gracing Dean's face.

"Good."

With that, he floored it.

Blaire checked her phone and grinned as she saw a text from Ash.

_"__Hey, sweet cheeks. Let me know when you're stopping by again. It'll be good to see you again."_

She smiled widely and blushed, Dean beaming at her.

"That Ash?"

Blaire looked up and nodded.

"Yeah…yeah, it's Ash."

She quickly replied.

_"__It'll be good to see you too, Ash." _

The reply was a line of kisses, Blaire blushing again and grinning even wider.

"He put kisses didn't he?" Sam said, Blaire biting her lip.

"No…"

"He did, didn't he?" Dean laughed, "Hey, Sammy, Blaire's got a boyfriend!"

"Shut up, jerk!"

"Shrimp!"

"Jerk!"

"Bitch!"

"Shrimp!"

-TBC-


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Five**

"The murder investigation is ongoing," The sheriff in Red Lodge (who had a rather impressive moustache by the way) told the Winchesters, who were posing as reporters, "And that's all I can share with the press at this time."

"Sure, sure, we understand that, but just for the record," Sam began, "You found the first, uh, head last week, correct?"

"Mmhmm."

"Okay, and the other," Sam continued, "A uh, Christina Flanigan."

"That was two days ago. Is there…" The sheriff began, being interrupted by some impatient woman knocking on the window.

"Oh. Sorry kids," He began, "Time's up, we're done here."

"One last question…" Blaire began, "What about the cattle?"

"Excuse me?" The sheriff replied, Blaire a little intimidated by the man before her.

"You know, the cows found dead, split open, drained..." She said, "Over a dozen cases."

"What about them?" The sheriff asked, Dean stepping closer to take the pressure from Blaire.

"So you don't think there's a connection?" He asked.

"Connection..." The sheriff said, confused by the young people's questions, "With..."

"First cattle mutilations, now two murders?" Sam said, "Kinda sounds like ritual stuff."

"You know, like satanic cult ritual stuff?" Blaire added, the sheriff bursting into laughter.

"You…" He breathed, laugh fading, "You're not kidding."

"No." Dean said.

"Those cows aren't being mutilated." The sheriff told them, "You wanna know how I know?"

"How?" Blaire asked.

"Because there's no such thing as cattle mutilation. Cow drops, leave it in the sun, within forty eight hours the bloat will split it open so clean it's just about surgical." The sheriff explained, if a little sarcastic. "The bodily fluids fall down into the ground and get soaked up because that's what gravity does. But, hey, it could be Satan."

The siblings fell silent.

"Get out of my office."

Leaving the office, Blaire whistled and chuckled.

"Holy crap, someone took their _I'm-a-complete-dick _pills this morning." She huffed, "Fucking stupid ass."

"Hey, cool it," Dean replied, "What's with you?"

"Nothin'." Blaire answered, "I'm just riding on the biggest float in the monthly pain parade, that's all."

Dean and Sam shared looks and Sam just put a hand on her shoulder.

"This is why I'm grateful not to be a woman."

"What are you talkin' about, you big girl?" Dean asked, "All you need is the breasts and the periods and you're on the Girly Express."

"Shut up, jerk."

"Bitch."

"Quit it, y'idjits!" Blaire yelled, the men chuckling in response while Blaire cracked a small smile, "Damn…sound like Bobby…"

* * *

Entering the morgue, Dean and Blaire studied the guy in there. Sam had gone to do research, giving Blaire a chance to do some of the stuff on a case he and Dean normally did together. She could use the experience should the day come when she hunted alone.

"John." Dean began.

"Jeff." The guy replied, checking Blaire out with wide eyes.

"Jeff. I know that." Dean laughed, "Dr. Dworkin needs to see you in his office right away."

"But Dr. Dworkin's on vacation…" Jeff said, Dean huffing in response.

"Well, he's back. And he's pissed, and he's screaming for you, man, so if I were you I would... okay." Dean replied, Jeff running out of the room while Dean and Blaire prepared to investigate. "Hey, those Satanists in Florida, they marked their victims, didn't they?"

"Yeah, reversed pentacle on the forehead." Blaire replied, Dean sighing in response.

"Yeah." He breathed, "So much fucked up crap happens in Florida."

The two of them put on latex gloves, Blaire opening a compartment and wheeling out a body with a box between its legs.

"Alright, open it." Dean said, Blaire raising an eyebrow.

"You open it." She retorted.

"Wuss."

Dean took the box to another table and opened it, wincing at the sight.

"Well, no pentagram."

Blaire approached and grimaced, a jolt going through her stomach at the sight.

"Wow…poor girl…"

"Maybe we should, uh, you know, look in her mouth, see if those wackos stuffed anything down her throat." Dean suggested, "You know, kinda like Moth in Silence of the Lambs."

"Yeah, here, go ahead." Blaire said, Dean shaking his head.

"No, you go ahead."

"What?" Blaire asked.

"'Put the lotion in the basket.'"

"Right, yeah, I'm the wuss, huh?" She huffed, "Whatever."

She braced herself and began to poke her fingers in the mouth.

"Dean, get me a bucket?" She said, going really pale in the face.

"You find something?" Dean asked, Blaire shaking her head.

"No," She whispered, "I-I'm gonna puke."

"Wait, lift the lip up again…" Dean said, Blaire nearly crying at the horrible feeling in her stomach.

"What?" She asked, "You want me to throw up, is that it?"

"No, no, no, I think I saw something." Dean said, lifting the lip back up, "What is that, a hole?"

Dean pressed on the gum and something slid down, long, sharp and white.

"It's a tooth." She said, Dean huffing a nervous laugh in return.

"Blaire, that's a fang." He told her, "Retractable set of vampire fangs, you've got to be kidding me."

"Well, this changes things." She breathed.

"Y'think?"

* * *

That night, the siblings headed into a bar, approaching the bartender who gave them a questioning look before smiling politely. They had no idea that they were being watched closely by someone.

"How's it going?" Dean asked.

"Living the dream." The bartender replied, "What can I get for you?"

"Three beers, please." Dean said with a charming smile, as usual.

Blaire loved Dean's smile. It made him look so beautiful and she knew that he deserved more than the women he picked up in bars and such gave him.

"So, we're looking for some people." Sam began.

"Sure. Hard to be lonely." The bartender replied, looking at Blaire on the last remark.

Great, the _your-a-piece-of-eye-candy _treatment again.

"Yeah. But um, that's not what I meant." Sam said, pulling out a fifty dollar note and dropping it on the bar, the bartender taking it.

"So these people, they would have moved here about six months ago," Blaire began, "Probably pretty rowdy, like to drink..."

"Yeah, real night owls, you know?" Dean chuckled, "Sleep all day, party all night."

"Barker farm got leased out a couple months ago. Real winners." The bartender explained, "They've been in here a lot…drinkers. Noisy. I've had to 86 them once or twice."

"Thanks." Dean said, the Winchesters leaving their half finished beers and leaving.

The man followed them into an alley, suddenly finding himself being pinned to the wall by Dean, Sam and Blaire.

"Smile." Dean taunted.

"What?" The man asked.

"Show us those pearly whites, handsome." Blaire said, the man before them rolling his eyes.

"Oh, for the love of…" He huffed, "You want to stick that thing someplace else? I'm not a vampire."

The Winchesters looked confused.

"Yeah, that's right. I heard you guys in there."

"What do you know about vampires?" Sam asked.

"How to kill them. Now seriously, bro." The man chuckled, "That knife's making me itch."

He brought his right hand to his top lip and pulled it up, revealing normal gums to the family.

"See? Fangless." He told them, "Happy?"

Dean and Blaire backed off a little, Dean looking upon him with questioning eyes.

"Now." He began, "Who the hell are you?"

At the man's car, he showed the family his arsenal of weapons, including a giant hook which made them all edgy.

"Sam, Dean and Blaire Winchester. I can't believe it. You know I met your old man once? Hell of a guy. Great hunter." He said, Blaire swallowing the lump in her throat before looking down to see Dean brushing his fingers against hers, just telling her it'd be okay, "I heard he passed. I'm sorry. It's big shoes. But from what I hear you guys fill 'em. Great trackers, good in a tight spot"

"You seem to know a lot about our family." Blaire said, no-one missing the tears in her eyes.

"Word travels fast." The man replied, "You know how hunters talk."

"No, we don't, actually." Dean snapped.

"I guess there's a lot your dad never told you, huh?" The man said, turning back to the trunk of the car while Dean gripped Blaire's wrist to stop her stabbing the guy.

"Keep it cool, honey." He whispered so the man wouldn't hear, Sam watching his sister nervously, "He didn't mean nothin' by it."

"So, um, so those two vampires," Sam began, "They were yours, huh?"

"Yep. Been here two weeks." He replied.

"Did you check out that Barker farm?" Dean asked, the man sighing in response.

"It's a bust. Just a bunch of hippie freaks." He told them, "Though they could kill you with that patchouli smell alone."

"Where's the nest, then?" Blaire asked.

"I've got this one covered. Look, don't get me wrong. It's a real pleasure meetin' you guys. But I've been on this thing over a year." The man said, "I killed a fang back in Austin, tracked the nest all the way up here. I'll finish it."

"We could help." Dean said.

"Thanks, but uh, I'm kind of a go-it-alone type of guy." The man replied, Blaire able to sense that there was something not quite right here.

"Come on, man," Dean began, "I've been itching for a hunt."

"Sorry. But hey, I hear there's a Chupacabra two states over." The man suggested, "You go ahead and knock yourselves out."

He climbed into his car and looked at the siblings, especially Blaire.

"It was real good meeting you, though." He said, "I'll buy you a drink on the flip side."

With that, he drove away.

* * *

Sam entered the motel room, seeming pretty pissed at something and it shocked Blaire, who didn't miss the hint of blood on his shirt.

"Hey, what happened?" She asked, "Where's Dean?"

"With that guy, Gordon Walker…" Sam huffed, "I gotta make a call."

Blaire kept quiet and watched the concern and anger in her brother's eyes.

"Hey, Ellen, uh, Sam Winchester."

_"__Sam, it's good to hear from you." _Ellen replied,_ "You boys are okay, aren't you?" _

"Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine." Sam assured, "Got a question."

_"__Yeah, shoot." _Ellen said.

"You ever run across a guy named Gordon Walker?"

_"__Yeah, I know Gordon." _Ellen replied.

"And?" Sam asked, Blaire looking really confused.

_"__Well, he's a real good hunter. Why are you asking, sweetie?" _Ellen asked, concern present in her voice.

"Well, we ran into him on a job and we're kinda working with him, I guess." Sam told her.

_"__Don't do that, Sam."_ Ellen replied, sounding somewhat fearful.

"I-I thought you said he was a good hunter." Sam said.

_"__Yeah, and Hannibal Lector's a good psychiatrist. Look, he is dangerous to everyone and everything around him."_ Ellen breathed, _"If he's working on a job you boys just let him handle it and you move on."_

"Ellen…"

_"__No, Sam…" _Ellen interrupted,_ "You just listen to what I'm telling you, okay?"_

"Right…okay?"

Blaire was so confused. What the hell was going on and what was up with Gordon?

* * *

"What time is it? Where's Sam and Blaire?"

Dean got a shock when his sister ran through the motel door, blood running down her face as she looked tearful, Sam following her.

"We need to talk…" Sam breathed, Dean following his siblings outside.

"Blaire, what happened to you?" Dean asked, going to touch the cut on her face.

"Dean, maybe we've got to rethink this hunt." She panted, gripping onto Dean as she went dizzy.

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked, "Where were you, guys?"

"In the nest." Sam said.

"You found it?"

"They found us, Dean…"

-TBC-


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Six**

"How'd you get out?" Dean asked, "How many did you kill?"

"None." Sam replied.

"Well Sam, they didn't just let you go." Dean huffed.

"That's exactly what they did." Blaire told him, Dean blinking in shock.

"Alright, well, where the nest?" The oldest Winchester asked.

"We were blindfolded, we don't know." Sam said, Dean sighing and nodding in response, "We went over that bridge outside of town, but Dean, listen…maybe we shouldn't go after them."

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"Blaire and I…we don't think they're like other vampires." Sam explained, "We don't think they're killing people."

"You're joking." Dean breathed, the younger Winchesters shaking their heads, "Then how do they stay alive? Or undead, or whatever the hell they are."

"The cattle mutilations." Blaire said, "They said they live off of animal blood."

"And you believed them?" Dean asked.

"Look at us, Dean." Sam breathed. "They let us go without a scratch."

"Well where did that cut come from?" Dean asked, indicating the one that was still leaking blood on Blaire's face.

"I fell…I've not eaten today, I'm a little weak…" Blaire replied, Dean not buying it.

"Dean, she's telling the truth."

"Wait, so you're saying...no, man, no way." Dean breathed, "I don't know why they let you go. I don't really care. We find 'em, we waste 'em."

"Why?" Blaire asked, Dean raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

"What part of 'vampires' don't you understand, guys?" Dean began, "If it's supernatural, we kill it, end of story. That's our job."

"No, Dean, that is not our job. Our job is hunting evil." Sam said, "And if these things aren't killing people, they're not evil!"

"Of course they're killing people, that's what they do. They're all the same, Sam." Dean said, anger boiling up inside Blaire as she stood staring at her brother, "They're not human, okay? We have to exterminate every last one of them."

"So would you have done that to Ashley?" She asked, Dean realising what he was saying.

"Blaire…that's not what I meant…"

"Oh no? So what did you mean?" Blaire asked, Sam telling her to calm down, "Come on, Dean…would you? Would you have killed Ashley? You know…when he or she was sleeping…would you have decapitated my child? Your niece or nephew?"

Dean remained silent and guilt flushed his face, burying itself deep in his eyes as he looked at his baby sister.

"Blaire…" Dean breathed, "I'm sorry…"

"No." Blaire snapped, "You have to understand that they aren't all the same, Dean. They aren't all killers, and clearly Ashley's father wasn't or I wouldn't be standing here having this conversation with you."

Dean sighed and winced at the tears in Blaire's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Blaire." Dean said, Blaire just nodding and sniffling, "Anyway…Gordon's been on those vamps for a year, guys, he knows."

"Gordon?" Sam asked.

"Yes."

"You're taking his word for it?" Blaire asked.

"That's right." Dean replied, confused as to where his siblings were going with this.

Blaire could sense an argument brewing and she wanted to walk away, but like Mary had told her during her near-death experience, they needed her and she wasn't going to abandon them and leave them to fight.

"Ellen says he's bad news." Sam said, Dean huffing.

"You called Ellen?" Dean asked, Sam nodding in response, "And I'm supposed to listen to her? We barely know her, Sam, no thanks, I'll go with Gordon."

"Right, 'cause Gordon's such an old friend." Sam bit, "You don't think we can see what this is?"

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked.

"He's a substitute for Dad, isn't he?" Blaire said softly, "A poor one."

"Shut up, Blaire." Dean retorted, trying not to get upset or angry.

"He's not even close, Dean." Sam breathed, "Not on his best day."

"You know what?" Dean growled, "I'm not even going to talk about this."

And that's what really hurt Blaire. She hated it when Dean closed himself off. It wasn't good for anyone and especially not Dean. But here he was, putting those walls up again that Blaire and Sam both just wanted to tear down desperately. They wanted to let their brother know they were there for him through anything and everything.

"You know, you slap on this big fake smile but we can see right through it. Because we know how you feel, Dean." Sam said sternly, "Dad's dead. And he left a hole, and it hurts so bad you can't take it, but you can't just fill up that hole with whoever you want to. It's an insult to his memory."

"Okay." Dean replied, starting to turn away before spinning back and punching Sam so hard Blaire screamed.

"DEAN! STOP IT!" She yelled, tears rolling down her face.

"You hit me all you want." Sam told him, "It won't change anything."

"JUST STOP IT!"

"I'm going to that nest. You don't want to tell me where it is, fine." Dean spat, "I'll find it myself."

"Dean?"

The three of them entered the motel room, Blaire resting against the wall and covering her face with her hands, wiping her eyes and shaking her head before taking a shot of whiskey. Dean grabbed her some ice for the cut on her face while Sam cleaned the cut.

"You think he went after them?" Sam asked.

"Probably." Dean replied, putting a band aid over Blaire's cut so it wouldn't bleed everywhere.

"Dean, we have to stop him." Sam breathed.

"Really, Sam?" Dean asked, "Because I say we lend a hand."

"Just give us the benefit of the doubt, would you?" Sam replied with a hint of anger, "You owe us both that."

"Yeah, we'll see. I'll drive." Dean said, "Give me the keys."

Sam pointed to the table where he'd seen the keys earlier, Dean and Blaire looking to find them gone.

"He snaked the keys."

* * *

"I can't believe this." Dean huffed as he hotwired the Impala, "I just fixed her up, too."

The car started and Dean sat back in the seat, looking to his sister in the rear-view mirror and seeing her with tears still trickling down her face. He felt awful for what he said because he forgot that his own nephew or niece had been half vampire. Then he'd hit his own brother and upset his sister even more.

"So the bridge, is that all you got?"

"The bridge was four and a half minutes from their farm." Blaire said, voice trembling with emotion.

"How do you know?" Dean asked.

"I counted." Blaire said, still not looking at her brothers, "Pass me the map, Sammy."

Her tone was warmer with Sam but Dean thought that it'd wear off. She didn't stay mad at Dean for long ever.

"They took a left out of the farm, then turned right onto a dirt road," She said, tracing the map, "Followed that for two minutes slightly up a hill, then took another quick right and we hit the bridge."

"You're good." Dean breathed, smiling at her and earning a weak smile back, "Good job, Blaire."

* * *

"Sam, Blaire…Dean. Come on in." Gordon said, Blaire's eyes resting on the poor girl Gordon had tied to a chair.

She looked really quite sick and Gordon held a bloodied knife in his hand. She didn't like where this was heading and judging by the look on her baby brother's face, he didn't either.

"Hey, Gordon." Dean said calmly, "What's going on?"

Gordon's reply was so calm and happy that it made Blaire feel sick to her stomach.

"Just poisoning Lenore here with some dead man's blood. She's going to tell us where all her little friends are, aren't you?" He snickered, "Want to help?"

Blaire went to grab her brother's arm but Dean moved away from her.

"Look, man…" Dean began, Gordon smiling sadistically at Dean.

"Grab a knife." He said, "I was just about to start in on the fingers."

He turned to slash her arm but Blaire was standing in the way and he stopped, running his fingers through her hair.

"How about you move out of my way?"

"How about you back the fuck up?"

Dean and Sam watched in horror as Gordon took out a newly sharpened knife and pressed it against Blaire's chest, their baby sister not showing a hint of fear.

"You know, it'd be a shame to waste such a pretty girl." Gordon said, Blaire huffing in response.

"Don't think you'd like me alive, Gordon. I was pregnant with a half vampire, and my pathetic father stabbed me in the stomach and killed it." Blaire said, "I carried a vampire, how does that make you feel, Gordon? Does it piss you off?"

Gordon slashed her arm and she didn't even wince.

"Come on, vampire killer," She said, "Murderer…come on…gimme your best shot! I even named the bloodsucking little fuck-up I was carrying. Called it Ashley."

Gordon seemed to lose interest in Lenore which gave Sam and Dean a chance to untie her and get her out.

"I would've given birth to it, Gordon." She said with a smile, "I fucked a vampire…and it was fucking wonderful…Hey, maybe it was the one who killed your sister."

"Blaire, that's enough." Gordon said, "You forget what I am."

"What? A murdering, vicious, twisted bastard?"

Gordon lunged at her and she ducked, kicking him in the head and punching him in the temple, knocking him out cold.

Dean ran back in and grabbed Blaire's arm.

"Why did you say those things about your kid, Blaire?" Dean asked, Blaire sighing.

"Look I hate myself for that, but I had to distract him somehow…"

Dean just nodded and lifted Gordon up before tying him up.

* * *

Blaire winced as Dean bandaged her arm, Dean whispering apologies to her as he covered the wound.

"You did a pretty brave thing back there, honey." He said softly, "I'm proud of you."

"I'm proud of you too, Dean." She said, "Proud of you for having so much faith in something you believed in."

"Even if it wasn't the right thing?" Dean asked, Blaire raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do…but you still believed so strongly in it…"

Dean kissed his sister's cheek and finished bandaging her arm, jumping as she hugged him tight.

"I love you, Dean." She said, "I know you didn't mean what you said about Ashley."

"Am I forgiven then?" Dean asked, Blaire kissing his cheek and nodding.

"You were from the first time you said sorry."

* * *

"Come on, Sam, I'm begging you." Dean breathed, "This is stupid."

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Going to visit Mom's grave?" Dean replied, "She doesn't even have a grave, there was no body left after the fire."

"She has a headstone, Dean." Blaire said, "This is important."

"Yeah, a headstone put up by her uncle, a man we've never even met." Dean said, "So you two want to go pay your respects to a slab of granite put up by a stranger?"

"Dean, that's not the point." Sam said softly.

"Well then, enlighten me, Sam."

Blaire gasped and bit her lip, holding her tongue before she said something she regretted.

"It's not about a body, or, or a casket." Sam told him, "It's about her memory, okay?"

At the graveyard, Sam and Dean went to discuss something while Blaire sat with the headstone, smiling weakly before speaking.

"Hey, Momma."

She felt tears pricking her eyes and she sighed, lower lip trembling as she stroked the headstone.

"I promised myself I wouldn't cry…" She chuckled, "But I miss you so much…even after all this time there's not a day that goes by where I don't think of you. And…and I'm sorry I couldn't save Dad…"

"Don't be sorry." A soft voice said, Blaire looking to see her mother's spirit sitting beside her, "There was nothing you could do."

"You did your best, sweetheart."

Blaire's eyes slid closed and tears fell from them as she covered them with her hand, the sound of her father's voice drifting into her ears.

"Hey, Daddy…"

"Hey, angel." John said softly, "Don't cry."

Blaire felt their arms wind around her and she sighed, savouring the moment with them.

"I love you guys so much." She breathed, "Dean and Sam do too."

"Does…does Sam know about this gift of yours?" Mary asked, "It's not unlike his own…"

"No…I'm sure he'll find out though."

In the distance, Sam watched as Blaire spoke, seeing her looking in two directions like she was talking to people.

"She's talking to Mom." Dean said, "She can see Mom."

"What?" Sam asked, "Dean, that's stupid and it's not funny."

"Sammy, she could see me in the hospital…she could see other spirits in that hospital and judging by the tears streaming down her face it's not only Mom she's talking to."

They saw her smile weakly and she stood up, wiping her eyes and putting her arms by her sides, hands looking as if they were holding someone else's. She wiped her eyes again and nodded as though she was being told something before her shoulders slumped like she'd been left alone, turning and seeing her brothers staring at her.

She felt alone all over again, and the feeling was so much worse than the first time around.

-TBC-


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope it's hot enough for you!

ENJOY!

xxxxxxxxxx

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Seven**

"_Hello?" _

Blaire smiled at the sound of the voice.

"Hi, Ellen…" She said weakly, sitting in an old Ford she'd hotwired.

_"__You okay, sweetie…?" _Ellen asked, _"You sound upset?" _

"No…" Blaire replied, "I…Can I come to the Roadhouse…please?"

_"__You runnin' again?" _Ellen asked, _"The boys botherin' you?" _

"Everything…everything's bothering me…" Blaire whispered past the lump in her throat.

_"__Okay, honey…okay, come on down…" _Ellen said softly, _"Let the boys know you need some space and get your ass down here."_

"Thank you." Blaire breathed, "Thanks, Ellen."

_"__No problem," _Ellen replied, _"Have a safe trip…oh, and I'll let Ash know you're coming." _

Blaire chuckled and hung up, texting Dean before pulling away from the parking lot of their motel and heading towards Ellen, Jo and Ash. Oh God…she could be happy with Ash for the few days she was with him. Deep down, they both knew that it wouldn't be a long term thing; that it couldn't be a long term thing, but while she was there, she'd try and enjoy it.

* * *

"No, honey…no…just let her have a few days out of the way…" Ellen said quietly as she talked on the phone to Dean, watching Ash and Blaire talking at a table in the saloon.

_"__Ellen, why is she there? We were working on a case!" _Dean yelled, Ellen cutting him off.

"She's told me everything. She's told me about John killing her baby, about how hard she's found getting used to the whole Haley Joel Osment thing…" Ellen explained, "She's suffering here, and I know you all are but…she needs her space right now. I'll keep an eye on her, don't worry."

_"__Has she been crying?" _Dean asked, _"Is she…is she drinking?" _

"She's had a few whiskeys and she's cried a lot, but she's okay now. She's with Ash." Ellen said, "He's making her laugh and stuff, but just let her have few days breathing space before you come charging down here all guns blazin' okay, sweetie?"

She heard Dean swallow thickly and he grunted in response, knowing that he was probably getting choked up.

"I'll look after her, I promise." She said, "Bye, Dean. Look after yourself and your brother."

_"__Thanks, Ellen. See you later…" _

Ellen hung up and sighed as she saw Blaire looking to her hands with teary eyes, looking back up at Ash who wound an arm around her and kissed her lips gently. The poor girl had really suffered so much and she did need this break. Ellen spotted Ash approaching the bar, the cheeky smile on his face telling her all she needed to know. She sighed looked at him as he nodded at her to greet her.

"We're gonna go to my room, okay?"

"Hey, no funny business in there, boy." Ellen said, Ash giving her the worst puppy eyes ever.

"Come on…I might never get to see her again, huh?" He said, "She likes me…I like her…we'll keep it down…"

Ellen grinned lopsidedly and rolled her eyes.

"Fine…I'm turning the radio up."

* * *

Blaire sat on Ash's bed, tears still falling down her face. Ash locked the door and sighed, joining her on the bed and taking her hand. He felt something inside him telling him to be careful and gentle tonight, that if they did what he wanted them to do that maybe it shouldn't just be a hot, dirty fuck, but maybe something that she'd remember, something that meant something to them both. He cupped her cheek and was surprised when she leaned into a touch.

"Oh, Ash…" She breathed, "Why do I feel like this…? Why can't I stop feeling like this?"

"Listen, you've been through a ton of crap in your lifetime, stuff that most girls your age wouldn't even dream of experiencing," He said softly, "You're gonna feel the strain of it."

Blaire wiped her eyes and sighed, smiling weakly and leaning forward to kiss Ash's lips. They smiled into the kiss and deepened it, Blaire being lowered onto the mattress while Ash climbed on top of her. Their hands roamed each other's bodies, Blaire's fingers in Ash's long hair as they kissed.

"Wait…" Ash breathed, jumping off the bed and switching on his lava lamp, turning out the main light in his room before grabbing a condom from the bedside table, "Oh…you do wanna go this far right?"

He gestured the condom and Blaire smiled, Ash leaning down and kissing her again.

"Um…this is my first time in like…in over a year…" She said, "So…I, uh…"

"How the hell have you not had sex in over a year?" He asked, "How have men been able to keep away from you?"

"It's not the fact that I don't get offered…" Blaire replied, "I'm just…it's kinda frowned upon if I do it…"

Ash sighed and closed his eyes.

"Sam and Dean?"

Blaire nodded and pulled Ash back down for a kiss.

"Well they ain't here tonight…and they won't be for a few days," He said with a smile, "So you're free to do as you please."

Blaire grinned, the tear tracks drying on her face as she looked up at him, the pair of them sharing tender gazes and almost getting lost in each other.

"While I love all the deep looking and such…I haven't had any for a year…" Blaire chuckled, Ash laughing out loud and kissing Blaire's lips again.

"Well…I'll make it worth your while then." Ash said with a grin, pulling his t-shirt off to reveal his toned chest, Blaire's hands running over it before sitting up a little to pull off her checkered shirt and tank top, revealing her body, Ash too busy kissing her neck to notice the scarring.

She became scared; scared of what he'd say when he saw it. He kissed down her body, stopping when he saw the long scars along her stomach and emerging from her jeans.

"If…if you don't wanna carry on, I get it…" Blaire said softly, "I know it's ugly…I'm ugly…"

She was stopped when she felt Ash's lips caressing the scars, her fingers threading into his hair as he did.

"Ash…" she gasped, "Oh God…"

"You're not ugly, Blaire." Ash said softly, "Don't ever think that."

Blaire sighed as Ash kissed her hips, shivering a little as his hands moved to her jeans.

Their kiss was heated and passionate, Ash only unfastening her jeans before moving up and kissing her lips again, making his way down her body and focussing on her chest. It transpired, Blaire loved having her chest kissed and she held Ash's head there, lowering her hands to his jeans while sitting up and kissing his neck. She could feel her body beginning to burn up and she smiled, relaxing and getting ready to enjoy the most amazing sensations that she'd yearned for, for so long.

Blaire had no idea what happened, but the next time she opened her stunning green eyes she and Ash were naked, Ash kissing his way down her body before she felt fingers against the most sensitive place on her body. She gasped and arched up, blushing at the intimacy of the touch and moaning softly as Ash's slender fingers slid inside of her waiting body.

"Ash…" She breathed, "Want you…"

Ash smirked and kissed her lips, working his fingers inside her while reaching for the condom on the table. He felt a hand around his erection which was aching hard, small, delicate fingers squeezing slightly before the wrist they belonged to began to move.

"Blaire…oh fuck…" Ash gasped, bucking into her hand before slipping the condom on.

He pulled the covers over the lower half of his body, sliding inside Blaire's body and closing his eyes, having to stop himself and calm for a moment. She was hot and so tight he could've come there and then, but he didn't. He held back, laying down and resting on his elbows as he and Blaire kissed again.

She missed this feeling, this feeling of someone being so close to her, being connected in such an intimate way with someone who actually cared. Ash cared about her, she knew that, and she was so grateful for how caring he was.

Her thoughts were broken by Ash moving inside of her, a broken moan escaping her lips as she arched up. Ash ran his fingers through her thick blonde waves, the silky locks splayed out on the pillow beneath her. Ash smelt like Lynx deodorant, Blaire's favourite, and she lifted her head, kissing his lips and then his neck and chest as he moved with her. She missed this care, this attention and this devotion to the moment they were both waiting to reach, and Ash sped up, rolling over in the small space to have Blaire above him, rocking her hips as he sat up and kissed her ample breasts.

She was beginning to sweat, one bead running down her chest which Ash licked off before shoving his tongue in her mouth again, both of them moaning into the kiss. Her movements became a little slower and quaky, the way she weakly held herself up showing Ash she was close. He rolled them back over, sliding their hands together and kissing her deeply before holding her close to him.

"Mmm…Ash…" She breathed, "Ash…I think I'm gonna come…"

"So do I…" He panted, "We gonna go together, huh? Think we can do it?"

Blaire laughed, the sound replaced with a moan as Ash moved faster, pulling back to look at her as she broke apart in front of him. She was open and vulnerable and as they moved towards orgasm the pair stared at each other.

"Dude, this is…oh fuck…" Ash breathed, "Fuck…Blaire…FUCK!"

"ASH!" Blaire cried, gasping as her orgasm shot through her system, "Oh my…God…"

The couple stopped shakily and Ash collapsed on Blaire, the middle Winchester beaming and holding him to her.

"You…are amazing…" She whispered, panting to catch her breath, "Oh God…"

Ash chuckled and kissed her lips, pulling out of her and resting by her side. He wound an arm around her as she rested on his chest, sighing as there was a knock at the door.

"Dr. Badass?"

Blaire shot up at the sound of Dean's voice and Ash kissed her head.

"It's fine…" He whispered, "Get dressed and march out there proud of the fact you just fucked Dr. Badass."

Blaire chuckled at the thought of Dean's expression and she quickly got dressed, sexing her hair up a bit more before passing Ash as he stood naked in the doorway.

"See you later, baby." She said softly, kissing Ash's lips deeply before walking past her brothers with a big grin on her face, winking at Dean as she went up the corridor, hips shaking as she went.

"You fucked our sister?" Dean asked, Ash chuckling in response.

"Dude, your timing's fucking awesome," He laughed, "We'd just finished when you knocked on the door."

"Okay…mentally damaging images in my head…" Dean breathed, Ash huffing out a nervous laugh.

"Guess I'll need my pants…"

* * *

Sam looked over at his sister as she drank her whiskey, her smile still on her face as she sat and spoke to Jo.

"How was it?" She asked.

"Amazing." She replied, "My first time in over a year."

"Seriously?" Jo asked, "Haven't you…since…?"

"No…don't have the time in our profession."

"Dean and Sam have the time," Jo said, "Why don't you?"

"I just don't, okay?" Blaire said softly, downing her whiskey shot, "I don't get that kinda privilege."

Jo frowned and looked over at Dean, Blaire picking up straight away.

"Look, I get that you find my brother attractive, but it'll be one fuck and that's it." She said, "Dean's…Dean's a whore…"

Jo laughed and nodded in the direction behind Blaire, the middle Winchester turning to see Ash approaching her.

"Can…can I have a word?" He asked, Blaire nodding in response and heading back to Ash's room, "Okay…um…I don't…"

"Let me just stop you there, Ash." Blaire said, "I get it. We can't really have anything…it's just not…possible really."

"I know." Ash said, "You okay with that?"

"Yeah," Blaire replied with a gentle smile, "You?"

"Yeah."

The couple looked at each other one more time and shared one more deep, passionate, yet tender kiss, holding onto each other and embracing one more time. Blaire smiled and kissed Ash's cheek, winking and walking back to the bar.

"I'll be in the car." She said, slinging her bags over her shoulder and heading out to the Impala.

She was happy. She'd finally had a hint of romance, despite their time together being practically ruined and there being no future for their relationship. She'd kissed Ash, held Ash, caressed Ash and slept with Ash. She'd fucked Ash…Dr. Badass. She wouldn't ever forget that.

Not ever.

-TBC-


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Eight**

Despite Ash and Blaire both agreeing that they could only ever have that one time, Blaire missed him like crazy. It wasn't the person really, more the contact, the safety and the comfort she'd felt with him. She wanted and needed it all the time, but she never got it. Her brothers barely hugged her and yes, she felt safe with them, but half the time they didn't have the time to talk things over. Maybe Blaire was being selfish, but they get their comfort, and she now had hers, holding the bottle of the liquid comfort in her hand tightly. She took a swig, the burn at the back of her throat welcoming as she listened to the details of the case in the Impala as she and her brothers drove along the highway.

Dean gave her a concerned look before Sam filled the family in on the details of the next case.

"Andrew Gallagher. Born in eighty three, like me."

Damn birthdays.

"Lost his mother in a nursery fire exactly six months later, also like me."

"You think the demon killed his mom?" Dean asked.

"Sure looks like it."

"How did you even know to look for this guy?" Blaire asked.

"Every premonition I've had, if they're not about the demon they're about the other kids the demon visited." Sam said, turning to Dean, "Like Max Miller, remember him?"

"Yeah, but Max Miller was a pasty little psycho." Dean said, Blaire raising an eyebrow.

"Something I should know?" She asked, Sam turning to her with near venom in his eyes.

"Is there something you wanna tell _me_?" He retorted, "Maybe about you going all _I-see-dead-people_?"

Blaire hung her head and sighed with a grimace.

"Sam…I…"

"Did you see Mom in that graveyard?" Sam asked, Dean trying to keep an eye on his siblings as well as the road.

"And Dad…" Blaire replied, "Don't wanna talk about it…"

"No, I think we should." Sam said.

"Well I think maybe you two could've been decent enough to tell me about your psychic powers too, Sam!" Blaire spat, "Don't you dare even think about calling me out when you hid that from me for so long, after everything I went through with that fucking demon! Being possessed, wounded, tortured that way! Dean, pull over!"

"What?" Dean asked.

"Dean, pull over now!" Blaire yelled, looking so angry the older Winchester didn't want to mess with her. .

"Why?" Dean asked, concerned as to why his sister was so upset.

"Please…"

The last response was so quiet and Dean pulled over, Blaire climbing out and pacing as she tried to calm down.

"What's with you?" Dean asked as he climbed out of the car, approaching his now crying sister.

"You lied to me about Sam's powers too! And now…now I'm seeing ghosts…spirits walking around…like…like half of them don't know…it's just…"

"Hey, what's brought all this on, huh? We were talking about a case and you just…" Dean began, "What's going on with you?"

"I'm just…I…" Blaire began, covering her face with her hands.

The truth was that a lot of tension that had been building within her for so many years and she had to release it or she'd just explode.

"I just wanna…" She started crying heavily, wanting to be taken into her brother's arms so desperately she didn't wait for him to open them.

She pushed her way into his embrace and gripped him tight, unleashing all her anger, grief and pain in a long set of sobs. All she did since she met up with her brothers was cry and it was getting too much. All of it was.

* * *

"You won't get anything out of Andy, guys." The waitress said, "I'm sorry, but they never do."

The three of them sat in a coffee shop in their FBI suits as usual, but this time they weren't Fed agents, but lawyers.

"'They'?" Sam asked.

"You're debt collectors, right? Once in a while they come by." She said with a chuckle, "I don't know what Andy says to them, but they never come back."

"Actually we're, we're lawyers. Representing his Great Aunt Leta." Dean said, "She passed, God rest her soul, and left Andy a sizable estate."

"Yeah. So are you a friend of his?" Sam asked, sadness wavering over the waitress's eyes.

_'Here we go!'_ Blaire thought, _'All about those two, doing all the work and leaving me sat here doing fuck all and looking like a moron.'_

"I used to be, yeah." The waitress replied, "I don't see much of Andy anymore."

"Andy? Andy kicks ass, man." Another guy said, heading over to the four who were already talking.

"Is that right?" Dean asked with a small smile.

"Yeah. Andy can get you into anything." The man said with a grin, "He even got me backstage at Aerosmith once, it was beautiful, bro."

Blaire sighed a little at that. She wouldn't mind being able to see Aerosmith live…

"How about bussing a table or two, Weber?" The woman asked.

"Yeah. You bet, boss." The guy – Weber said, heading off to continue his work.

"Look, if you want to find him, try Orchard Street." The waitress told them, "Just look for a van with a barbarian queen painted on the side."

"Barbarian queen?" Blaire asked.

_'Oh my God, they let me speak?'_

"She's riding a polar bear." The woman said, "It's kind of hard to miss."

* * *

The van, in short, was truly awesome, and both Dean and Blaire stood there staring at it, Dean for the barbarian queen, and Blaire for the beauty of the artwork.

"I'm sorry, I'm starting to like this dude. That van is sweet." Dean chuckled, noticing Sam looking perturbed, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Sam, you look like you're sucking on a lemon," Blaire chuckled, "What's going on?"

"This Andrew Gallagher, he's the second guy like this we've found, Blaire." Sam began, "Demon came to them when they were kids, now they're killing people."

Sam was set on the idea that he was going to become a killer and Blaire knew that if he kept thinking that way, it'd happen. She couldn't bear to lose her baby brother to such a fate.

"We don't know what Andrew Gallagher is, alright?" Dean said, "He could be innocent."

"My visions haven't been wrong yet." Sam huffed.

"What's your point?" Dean asked, Blaire not liking where this was headed.

If it was another fight, she'd fucking walk away and stay away. It was bad enough that they were now technically orphans, both parents killed when they were still young. It was bad enough there was a demon on their tail. It was bad to be a Winchester at this time and Blaire never thought she'd see the day where she'd think like that.

"My point is, I'm one of them." Sam said, the words sounding so frightened and so sad.

"No, you're not." Dean replied, Sam turning to look at his siblings with desperation.

"You aren't, Sammy." Blaire added, reaching to take his hand in comfort, but he flinched.

That hurt.

"Guys, the demon said he had plans for me and children like me."

"Yeah?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, maybe this is his plan, maybe we're all a bunch of psychic freaks," Sam said, the words hitting Blaire like bullets since technically she was psychic too, "Maybe we're all supposed to be…"

"What, killers?"

A silence.

"Yeah."

"So the demon wants you out there killing with your minds, is that it?" Dean asked, "C'mon, give me a break. You're not a murderer, Sam! You don't have it in your bones."

"No? Last I checked, I kill all kinds of things." Sam said, Dean huffing in response.

"Those things were asking for it. There's a difference." Dean said.

A small man with dark hair emerged from a building wearing pyjamas and a satin robe with dragons on it. He turned to a window and blew a kiss to a woman who was watching him from it.

"Got him." Sam said.

The man who they all presumed was Andy met someone who Sam recognised from his vision. He gasped and the others looked at him.

"That's him." He said, "That older guy, that's him, that's the shooter."

"All right, you keep on him," Dean said, "I'll stick with Andy. Go."

"What about me?" Blaire asked.

"Umm…go do some research or something." Dean said.

Blaire huffed and walked away, deciding to follow Sam. She saw the guy he was following walk into the road though, right in front of a bus that just slammed into him like a hammer against a nail. She screamed and covered her eyes, running to her brother who grabbed her arms.

"I tried, Blaire…" He breathed, "I really did…"

"I know you did," She said, "I know, sweetheart."

* * *

They found Dean's Impala on a street with the keys still in the ignition; the same car that Dean had given away like it was nothing. Blaire was still trying to get used to the fact that mind control was the route of all this commotion. Dean sighed with pure relief at the sight of his car.

"Thank god! Oh. I'm sorry, baby." He breathed, stroking the car's exterior, "I'll never leave you again. Well, at least he left the keys in it."

"Yeah. Real Samaritan, this guy." Sam huffed, Blaire smiling at her baby brother in response.

"Well, it looks like he can't work his mojo just by twitching his nose," Dean said, "He's gotta use verbal commands."

"The doctor had just gotten off his cell phone when he stepped in front of that bus." Sam breathed, "Andy must have called him or something."

"I don't know, maybe." Dean said, Sam looking shocked.

"Beg your pardon?" He asked.

"I just don't know if he's our guy, Sam."

"Dean, you had O.J. convicted before he got out of his white Bronco and you have doubts about this?"

"He just doesn't seem like the stone-cold killer type, that's all." Dean said, Blaire humming in agreement, "You know. And O.J. was guilty."

"Either way, how are we going to track this guy down?" She asked, Dean thinking for a moment.

"Not a problem."

* * *

Blaire was taking a nap while her brothers went to check out Andy's van, but she shot up at the sound of a laugh in the room with her. She looked around, senses tingling.

"Hi, sweetie," Mary said, Blaire grinning and chuckling in response, "Your brothers have found a van that's like a bad brothel."

"Hey, Mom." Blaire said softly, "Yeah. I'm supposed to be researching but…uh…"

"Oh, honey, take a break." Mary laughed, turning serious quite quickly, "I'm here…um…I'm here to give you some news."

"Oh?"

Mary leaned down and whispered in Blaire's ear, the middle Winchester's eyes widening and her mouth dropping open in shock. Tears filled her eyes and she looked at her mother who was also crying, both of them sharing horrified looks before Mary kissed her baby girl's forehead and hugged her.

"I love you, Blaire."

"Love too, Momma."

That's when Mary left the room, Blaire breaking into tears and clamping a hand over her mouth as she thought of what she'd just been told. Mary had asked her to put it to the back of her mind, but she didn't want to. At the minute, she had no choice because the boys had enough worries without this on top. Blaire had always been the one that nothing special happened to, the one who seemed less important than her brothers, but after what she'd just been told, maybe that could change. She had to put her brothers first and right now they were all that mattered.

Blaire called Dean whilst throwing her things in a bag.

"Dean! Dean, thank God…"

_"__Blaire, what's wrong?" _

"Nothin'…I…I gotta leave for a while, okay?" She told her brother, "Just don't worry about me and I'll keep in touch…"

_"__What? Blaire, where are you going?" _

"Look, there's somethin' I gotta do…just…just please…"

_"__This is ridiculous! You're taking off just like Dad did!" _Dean yelled, Blaire sighing and wiping her eyes as tears filled them.

"I love you both."

_"__No! Blaire! Where the…" _

Blaire hung up and packed her bags, leaving the motel room and breaking into a run before finding a car to hotwire, heading towards South Dakota.

* * *

"Bobby!" Blaire cried, "Bobby, please!"

Bobby opened the door and saw the terrified face of the young girl before him, immediately pulling her inside.

"Blaire, what the hell?"

"I need help!" She cried, "I…I saw my Mom and…she told me something…"

Bobby listened carefully as Blaire whispered in his ear what Mary had told her, Bobby's eyes widening in shock.

"My Mom warned me that the demon was after me personally…after me to get to Sam…and that…that I have powers that are going to come into play…in time…" Blaire whispered, "Apparently there's some…some big war comin'…and myself, Sam and Dean are the leading warriors…"  
Bobby took in the girl's terrified eyes.

"Please…help me…"

Bobby took Blaire's hand and led her into the study, the pair of them beginning to trawl through books to try and find any kind of lore that could possibly help the Winchesters.

Later that night, she heard Bobby talking to Dean on the phone. It wasn't like she didn't expect him to call her brothers, but at least he respected the privacy and delicacy of the reason why she'd gone to him. It turned out Andy had an evil twin…Weber…and Weber was the killer, not Andy. But they'd picked up a case from Jo and from the sound of things, they were on their way to get her. At least she could enjoy a decent bed tonight.

-TBC-


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Oh, holy christ! I'm so sorry for the late update! My God, I've not had the motiviation for this fic, however, I have plenty of scenes saved for the later fics and I can assure you, I'll try and update this every day or so.

Here's chapter nine, and again, I'm so sorry for my late update!

Hope you enjoy! xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Nine**

Blaire awoke in the spare bed at Bobby's head snapping up at the sound of Dean's voice.

"What happened to her? Is she okay?"

She groaned and slammed her head into the pillows, not wanting to face her concerned brothers as they stood in Bobby's hallway.

"Dean, she just had a nightmare that really freaked her out and she wanted to check that nothing was gonna go wrong with you guys," Bobby said, covering the truth quite well so as not to worry her brothers, "We've checked, there's nothin' going on, so just leave her be, okay?"

"Where is she?" The older Winchester asked, Bobby sighing in response.

"Asleep upstairs...although, I bet she isn't now you two boneheads have come in screaming and shouting like that," he told them, "Just don't go charging up there all guns blazing, let me go and wake her up, huh? Make yourselves at home."

Blaire sat up slowly, hearing the knock on the door and seeing her father's friend enter with a gentle smile.

"Thank you." She whispered, Bobby nodding in response, holding on for a moment so it seemed like they'd had a conversation before leaving her to get dressed.

She pulled her clothes on quickly and packed her bags, freshening up before heading downstairs only for Dean to sweep her into his arms.

"Blaire, you had me worried sick, you idiot..."

"I'm sorry...I was just really freaked out..."

Dean sighed and gripped his baby sister tighter, releasing her and kissing her forehead.

"Don't you ever run away like that again...ever..." He said, trying not to sound too much like a parent telling off a child.

"Sorry, Dean...I'm sorry..."

Dean smiled and kissed her cheek, patting her back and saying his goodbyes to Bobby, as Sam and Blaire did before they all headed out to the Impala.

* * *

The Impala sped towards Philadelphia, the Winchesters all sat in an awkward silence in the car as they drove.

"Blaire?" Dean began, "You need to talk to us about anything?"

"No." Blaire replied, turning to gaze out of the window.

"You know you can if you need to, right?" Sam said, Blaire humming and nodding in response.

She wasn't exactly going to come out with what she'd gone to Bobby about. That was something not to be discussed in her mind; shove it to the back with the rest of the crap she'd been through recently.

"I know." She said, "Thanks, guys."

Dean didn't miss the tears that slid down her cheeks, ones which were quickly wiped away out of shame and embarrassment. She shouldn't be embarrassed about crying. She had a damn lot to cry about and both brothers knew they'd treated her poorly over the past few months. She needed their support, not to be ordered around and used as a slave by them. He focussed back on the road, both he and Sam unable to stop checking on her for the rest of the way.

* * *

They hadn't expected to run into Jo, but here she was, and Blaire was grateful for the female company. She and Jo got on okay but sometimes had their spats, and even though Blaire knew Jo wanted Dean she didn't mind because the girl seemed Dean's type. She was pretty, she was tough, but she did have a small lack of common sense. It wasn't safe to take on a case if you didn't know what you were doing, but she had a feeling that Jo would shine through.

"I'll flip you for the sofa." Jo said, Dean sighing and shaking his head.

"Does your mother even know you're here?" He asked.

Blaire knew the answer to that. Of course Ellen didn't know Jo was here. If Ellen knew Jo was there she'd be on her way up to drag her back to the Roadhouse by her hair.

"Told her I was going to Vegas." Jo said, Blaire huffing out a laugh.

"She really gonna buy that?"

"I'm not an idiot." Jo huffed, "I got Ash to lay a credit card trail all the way to the casinos."

"No way!" Blaire laughed, "Let me tell you, your mom ain't an idiot either. She'll never buy that."

"You know, you shouldn't lie to your mom." Dean said, Blaire and Sam nodding in agreement, "Shouldn't be here either."

"Well, I am. So untwist your boxers and deal with it."

"Hey, don't talk to him like that, okay?" Blaire spat, Jo turning and glaring at her, earning a scary glare back from the middle Winchester.

"Where'd you get all that money from, anyways?" Sam asked, trying to cool things down before Blaire lost her temper.

She'd been really touchy about things recently, things getting her angry to the point where she'd walk away from him and Dean with tears rolling down her face. He knew there was something really...awful going on in her head and he wanted to know what so he could help her, but it seemed she just wouldn't open up. She was turning into Dean. Sam could see it every day, watching her slowly become more like her older brother both in looks and personality, except of course, less perverted and more compassionate. It worried him.

"Working, at the Roadhouse." Jo said, sounding really proud of herself.

"Hunters don't tip that well." Dean told her.

"Exactly," Blaire replied, "We have to hustle pool to earn our notes, so where the hell did all yours come from?"

"Well, hunters aren't that good at poker, either." Jo said smugly, Dean turning when his cell phone began to ring.

"Yeah?"

_"Is she with you?" _

"Oh, hi, Ellen."

_"She left a note she's in Vegas." Ellen said, "I don't believe it for a second." _

Blaire could tell what was being said and she smirked at Jo.

"Told you." She mumbled, Jo throwing her a poisonous glare before sighing.

Dean covered the mouthpiece of the phone and he looked to Jo.

"I'm telling her."

The pair broke into a muttered argument before Dean heard Ellen again.

_"Dean?"_

"I haven't seen her." Dean lied, hating himself for doing so.

He shouldn't lie to Ellen, he knew that, but he just gave in to Jo that once.

_"You sure about that?" _Ellen asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Dean replied.

_"Well, please. If she shows up, you'll drag her butt right back here, won't you?" _Ellen begged, Dean nodding and swallowing thickly at the desperation in the older woman's voice.

"Absolutely."

* * *

Blaire and Jo decided to head out while Sam and Dean did a little research, going for a coffee in a nearby coffee shop just to have a chat and try and get to know each other better.

"What's it like being able to hunt all the time?" Jo asked, "I always wanted to but my mom...she was so protective. I never understood why..."

"It's not as awesome as it seems, Jo." Blaire replied, "I know that better than anyone."

Jo knew that something bad must have happened to Blaire. She could see a tragic grief in her eyes all the time that was more than the loss of her parents. There was something that cut into her so much deeper and Jo had been yearning to know what it was, but had never had the opportunity to ask. She had now...so she took it.

"What happened?"

Jo didn't know about Ashley. Blaire hadn't mentioned the baby to anyone other than Ash and Ellen, because really, Ellen had been a good friend to her and Ash had overheard.

"My father..." Blaire began, "He...I got pregnant...by a vampire. I didn't know the guy was a vampire; he didn't bite me or attack me...he just kissed me and held me like I was the most precious thing in the world."

Jo nodded as she tried to empathise and understand, letting Blaire continue but not missing the tears in her eyes as they brimmed to the edges of her eyelids.

"My dad's pissed, and he lets me carry this baby...then I get to the fourth month and I start to show..." Blaire continued, Jo's stomach dropping as she thought of what horrible event could be coming next in this story, "It's a few weeks before I get to find out if I have a boy or a girl...and he stabs me while I'm asleep...and kills the baby."

Jo gasped and covered her mouth, tears spilling down Blaire's face which she quickly wiped away.

"I never knew what my baby was...so I called it Ashley..."

A tear fell down Jo's face, the young woman unable to stop it falling. This poor girl had been stabbed by her own father, and had lost her child...she'd lost her baby. That was horrific for anyone but for Blaire to go through it like that? Good God, it was barbarick!

"I'm so sorry..." She whispered, "I had no idea..."

"No, it's fine..." Blaire replied, wiping her eyes and drinking the rest of her coffee, "Come on...let's go have a look at that file, huh?"

* * *

Dean was pacing, the movements making Blaire uneasy so she got up and joined Jo who was looking at some blueprints. Blaire took out her knife, spinning and flipping it around in her hand.

"This place was built in 1924." Jo explained, "It was originally a warehouse, converted into apartments a few months ago."

"Yeah?" Dean asked, "What was here before 1924."

"Nothing. Empty field." Jo replied, Sam and Blaire sharing looks before the youngest Winchester spoke up.

"So, most likely scenario, someone died bloody in the building, and now he's back and raising hell." Sam suggested, everyone growing tired of Dean's pacing.

"I already checked. In the past eighty two years, zero violent deaths." Jo told them, "Unless you count a janitor who slipped on a wet floor."

"Would you sit down?" Blaire asked Dean, the older Winchester sitting straight away before turning back to Jo.

"So, have you checked police reports, county death records...?"

"Obituaries, mortuary reports and seven other sources." Jo said, "I know what I'm doing."

"I think the jury's still out on that one." Dean scowled, turning to Blaire who was still spinning that knife, "Could you put the knife down?"

Blaire slammed the knife on the table, making everyone jump before she just stood glaring at her brother, making him a little uneasy while Sam, bless his heart, yet again tried to break the tension.

"Okay! So, uh, it's something else, then." He suggested, anything to stop a fight, "Maybe some kind of cursed object that brought a spirit with it."

"Well, we've got to scan the whole building." Jo said, "Everywhere we can get to, right?"

"Right. So." Dean began, standing and looking at Jo, "You and me, we'll take the top two floors."

"We'd move faster if we split up." Jo protested.

"Oh, this isn't negotiable." Dean replied, the two sharing long looks before Jo bit her lip and went to get ready, Dean turning to his siblings, "You guys just chill for a while, huh?"

* * *

"I'm sorry about Ash..." Sam said as he and Blaire looked through some books in the apartment, his older sister glancing up from hers at him, "That you guys didn't work out...you were a good match..."

"It's fine, Sam." Blaire replied.

"Blaire, I know you're hurting..."

"It's _fine_, Sam."

Sam kept quiet for a moment before joining his sister at the table, taking her book away from her hands and holding them in his own enormous ones, giving her those puppy eyes she couldn't bear to deny.

"Don't look at me like that." She told him, "Please, Sam..."

"Blaire, I...I'm worried about you, okay?" Sam whispered, "Please, let me help you..."

"Sam...I don't need help, okay?" Blaire replied, "I don't, I'm fine...honest."

She was lying, and Sam knew she was, but he didn't push her any further. She needed a clear head, plus, he didn't want to hurt her or upset her. It was bad enough she was still upset about the fact he and Dean hadn't told her about his powers until she found out from the yellow-eyed demon as he possessed their father. Blaire was suffering before their eyes and the brothers were powerless to stop it, Sam trying his best to find ways to help her.

"What do you think of Jo?" Sam asked, Blaire sighing and smiling.

"She's cool." Blaire said, "Certainly knows a thing or two, but the question is...is she a good enough hunter? And I'm talking about the actual fighting..."

"Yeah, she's cool and all..." Sam replied, "But we all know who she's got her eye on here...and it's not good...not on a job like this."

"Exactly." Blaire sighed, "I just hope Dean can keep his best friend in his pants and Jo can keep her jeans on while we're here...if they end up in some weird kind of relationship and Ellen finds out, we're all screwed."

Sam laughed as Blaire did, the older Winchester looking at her baby brother and kissing his cheek.

"C'mon, Sammy Boy." She laughed, "Help me clean my knives and guns, huh?"

"Okay." Sam smiled, the pair heading over to a decent space before beginning their work, chatting and happily discussing music and movies until the job was done.

It was rare that Blaire and Sam got to spend time together, so for this, Blaire was grateful. She just hoped that these powers of Sam's wouldn't get in the way and that her own wouldn't get any worse...because she was growing fearful for them all, especially after what she'd found out at Bobby's.

* * *

Blaire had some time in the apartment alone that night, the others going out for a beer. She sighed and rested against the couch, looking upward and closing her eyes.

"Mom...what do I do?"

"Be strong, baby." Mary replied, sitting by her daughter, "It's all you can do."

Blaire looked at her mother's spirit, the gorgeous woman stroking a hand through Blaire's blonde locks.

"My God, you're so beautiful..." Mary whispered, "You're just like Dean...you've got your daddy's smile, I know that much."

Blaire sighed, and let a tear fall down her face.

"Mom...Mom, I don't know what do about...what we spoke about," Blaire said softly, "I don't know if I can take the strain of keeping that a secret..."

"Your brothers can't find out, Blaire." Mary replied, "You've gotta be strong, honey. Be strong for me...for your father..."

Blaire felt her mother's lips against her temple.

"So, Sammy doesn't believe you yet, huh...about your powers?" She asked, the middle Winchester sighing.

"He...he took me up on it...and I got too upset, so I got out of the car, but I don't know if he does or not," Blaire replied, "I think though, in time...he'll have to believe me."

"I'm sure he will." Mary replied, kissing her daughter's cheek gently, "Goodbye, sweetheart."

"Bye, Mom." Blaire said softly, "Love you."

"Love you too, angel."

With that, Mary was gone, leaving Blaire with her conflicting thoughts raging around her head like a huge storm, mixing into an enormous tornado which she knew would just destroy her state of mind, so she shut it in the back of her mind, locking it away for as long as she could.

She really was becoming more and more like Dean.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this very late update! **

**Please feel free to review! I'll update ASAP! **

**Thanks for reading so far! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Hi! I'm putting a twist in the story to replace episode 2x07, because I'm really not sure of how to fit Blaire into it.

Hope you enjoy said twist, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

xxxxxxxxxxx

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Ten**

Blaire wanted time away from the case, just heading out for some fresh air away from Jo, Dean and Sam. She sat on a park bench, looking up at the sky and wondering if what her mother had warned her about was really true. If it was, her family was due to enter a situation that there was no escaping, and despite wanting to stop it from happening, she couldn't. She pushed her worries to the back of her mind again, watching children playing on the playground equipment. There was a mother encouraging her baby to take steps towards her.

That could've been Blaire. Blaire could have been teaching Ashley how to walk, encouraging him or her to speak and communicate with her, to play and to experience so many wonderful times with her. But her father had taken all that away and Blaire rested a hand on her stomach, tears falling from her eyes as she thought of her baby that she'd lost.

"I'm so sorry..."

John's spirit sat beside her and slid his hand into hers, gripping it tight and sighing as he kissed his daughter's head.

"I'm so, so, so sorry, Blaire..."

Blaire just shook her head and blinked her tears away.

"It's okay, dad...I know you were only thinking of us..."

"Don't give me that, Blaire Winchester." John replied, "What I did was selfish and cruel...I caused my own daughter so much pain...I can't believe I did that..."

"Well you did, but it's okay..." She sighed.

"It will never be okay, Blaire." John said softly, kissing her head again before nuzzling her forehead lightly, "I love you, y'know that, right?"

"I love you too, daddy."

With that she turned, finding that John had left.

* * *

"Teresa Ellis, Apartment 2F." Dean said as he entered the apartment, Sam, Jo and Blaire all searching frantically through notes, "Boyfriend reported her missing around dawn."

"And her apartment?" Jo asked.

"Cracks all over the plaster, walls, ceiling." Dean sighed, "There was ectoplasm, too."

"Oh, joy." Blaire muttered, scrubbing a hand over her face and sighing.

"Well, between that and that tuft of hair I'd say this sucker's coming from the walls." Sam said, the others nodding in response.

"But who is it?" Dean asked, "Building's history is totally clean."

"Well, maybe we're looking in the wrong place." Jo suggested, picking up a photo and studying it.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked, Sam and Blaire looking at the photo and raising eyebrows.

"An empty field?" Sam asked.

"It's where this building was built. Take a look at the one next door." Jo said, "The windows."

"Bars." Blaire breathed.

"We're next door to a prison?" Dean asked, everyone sighing.

Jo went to make a phonecall to Ash, Dean sitting by Blaire who quite frankly looked like crap.

"You okay?" He asked, the middle Winchester nodding in response before just leaning on her brother, Dean sighing softly and winding an arm around her in return, "You need to talk or anything?"

Sam stretched in his seat and looked at his siblings, watching Blaire's eyes intently as he watched so many negative emotions sweep over them like sand in the wind.

"No, thank you." Blaire replied, "But I saw Dad this morning..."

"You saw Dad?" Dean asked, "Is he okay?"

"He was saying sorry...for killing the baby..."

Dean sighed and kissed his baby sister's temple, holding her to him as a tear fell down her face. He wasn't a guy for chick-flick moments, but Blaire seemed to turn him into a big girl. They had a lot of chick-flick moments, and but he found he didn't hate them. Not with his sister. He melted with his sister, and always had a soft spot for her, which was a great weakness, he knew that, but it was the same with Sam. He'd raised the two of them himself and he knew them both better than they thought.

"Sweetheart," He said softly, "I'm sorry we never told you about Sam..."

"No, that's okay." Blaire replied, "Come on, enough of chick-flick stuff now."

With that she got up and headed to the bathroom to wash her face, Dean scubbing a hand over his face with worry. Jo emerged from the room a moment later with the phone in her hand, talking to Ash of all people. Dean was a little relieved that Blaire wasn't in the room at that moment as he didn't know how she was really coping with her and Ash being apart.

"Thanks, Ash. And if you breathe a word of this to my mom..." Jo warned, "That's right. I will. With pliers."

"Okay. Moyamensing prison. Built in 1835, torn down in 1963." Jo began, "And get this...they used to execute people by hanging them in the empty field next door."

"Well, then, we need a list." Sam said, "Of all the people executed there."

"Ash is already on it." Jo replied, everyone shutting up as soon as Blaire entered the room again, looking a little better than before.

_

* * *

"I kinda miss having you around here, Blaire." _Ash said as he and Blaire spoke on the phone, _"Anyway, hope the stuff helps on the case." _

"Thanks, Ash." Blaire said softly, "And I kinda miss you too..."

_"Well...I'll see you around, I guess." _

"Yeah. Bye, Ash."

_"Bye, gorgeous." _

They hung up, Blaire sighing and smiling weakly before turning to Sam.

"He says he's just sending the stuff over."

"Okay." Sam replied, finding the information and beginning to scroll down the enormous list, "A hundred fifty seven names?"

"We've gotta narrow that down." Dean said with a sigh.

"Uh-yeah..." Blaire huffed, "Or else we're gonna be digging up a hell of a lot of stiffs."

"Herman Webster Mudgett?" Sam asked.

"Yeah?" Jo countered.

"Wait...wasn't that H. H. Holmes' real name?" Blaire asked, panic filling her system as realisation began to wash over her.

"You've gotta be kiddin' me." Dean breathed, scrubbing a hand over his face.

"Yep. Holmes was executed at Moyamensing, May 7, 1896." Blaire said as she read the information Ash had sent them.

"H. H. Holmes himself." Sam huffed, "Come on, I mean, what are the odds?"

Poor Jo, who was completely confused, looked at the Winchesters for answers.

"Who is this guy?" She asked.

"The term 'multi-murderer.'" Dean began, "They coined it to describe Holmes. He was America's first serial killer, before anybody knew what a serial killer was."

"Yeah, he confessed to twenty seven murders, but some put the death toll at over a hundred." Blaire added, Jo gaping in shock.

"And his victim flavor of choice? Pretty petite blondes." Dean said, "He, uh, he used chloroform to kill 'em."

He sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Which is what I smelled in the hallway last night." He said quietly, "At his place, cops found human remains, bone fragments, and long locks of bloody blonde hair."

Blaire sighed and put her hands over her face, realising how vulnerable and in danger she and Jo were before glaring at the young Harvelle.

"Boy, you sure know how to pick 'em."

"Well, we just find the bones, salt 'em and burn 'em, right?" Jo said, Sam grimacing and shaking his head.

He knew his sister and Jo were both in danger, and the thought of either of them getting hurt made his blood run cold.

"Well, it's not that easy." He sighed, "His body is buried in town, but it's encased in a couple tons of concrete."

"What?" Jo asked with wide-eyes, "Why?"

"The story goes that he didn't want anybody mutilating his corpse." Dean revealed, "'Cause, you know, that's what he used to do."

"You know something..." Blaire began, "We might have an even bigger problem than that."

"How does this get bigger?" Jo snapped.

"Hey! Chill!" Blaire growled, "I'm just doing my job here."

Jo sighed and nodded, letting Blaire continue.

"Holmes built an apartment building in Chicago. He called it the Murder Castle. The whole place was a death factory, they had, uh, trap doors, acid vats, quick line pits..." She said, "He built these secret chambers inside the walls. He'd lock his victims in, keep them alive for days. Some he'd suffocate, others he'd let starve to death."

"So Teresa could still be alive." Jo said, "She could be inside these walls."

"We need sledgehammers, crowbars." Dean breathed, "We've got to smash these walls, anywhere thick enough to hide a girl."

As Dean and Sam got ready, Jo turned to Blaire and smirked.

"I'll go with Dean." She said, "Sexy piece of ass, your brother."

"Keep your pants on, sweetheart." Blaire spat, "And keep your dirty hands off of him too."

"Blaire, I want you off of this case." Dean said as he entered the room from the bedroom, "I'm not risking you."

"No, but you'll risk Jo." Blaire pointed out, Dean sighing and putting his hands on his hips.

"Jo's a stubborn bitch who doesn't know the meaning of no." He replied, turning to Jo. "No offence, honey."

"Here we go again, Dean!" Blaire bit, "Treating me like I'm a four year old!"

"Blaire, you aren't going and that's an order!"

The words escaped Dean's mouth before he could control it and everyone just stood staring at Dean and Blaire, tears filling both their eyes.

"Blaire...I..."

"You're just like Dad!" Blaire yelled, "Fine! You don't want me on this case, you won't have me! That's fine."

"Blaire, where are you going?" Sam asked, "Blaire?"

"Bobby's! I'm going to Bobby's!" Blaire snapped, "Because he doesn't treat me like I can't do the fucking job! And by the way, when there's a case you think I can handle, come and get me, huh? Or in fact, don't bother! I'M DONE WITH YOU!"

With that, she stormed into the bedroom and grabbed her bags, throwing her things in them before storming back through and out again, leaving the apartment and her broken brothers behind. It was like being with John all over again, and as much as Blaire loved her father, the orders and the constant _I'm-always-right _attitude pissed her off more than anything. She made her way to Bobby's, crying almost the whole way.

* * *

"You left again?" Bobby asked, "Blaire, you can't keep doing this!"

"I know!" Blaire cried, "I know..."

"If I hear from 'em what do you want me to tell 'em?"

"That they can't come and get me..." Blaire said, "I don't want to hunt with them anymore. I know I'm behaving like a stroppy teenager, but I've just had enough, Bobby...I've had enough..."

"Get yourself comfortable upstairs." He said, "I'll make us some dinner."

Blaire nodded sadly and headed up to the spare room, collapsing onto the bed in tears. She was sick of running away, but she was also sick of being treated like a child. Her brothers did care a lot about her, wanting to protect her the best they could, but it was hard for her to deal with the way they treated her sometimes. She wiped her eyes, not wanting Bobby to see her tears. He knocked on the door gently, opening it and smiling softly at her.

"I was gonna head out to Ohio tomorrow...couple in Avon, Ohio were murdered in their home and the cops can't find a damn fingerprint, fibre or nothin' in the place..." He said, "Wanna come with me? I'll even let you drive."

Blaire smiled widely and nodded, standing up and hugging the older man tight.

"Thanks Bobby."

"Anytime."

* * *

"No, Dean. You can't come and get her." Bobby said, hearing Dean's shaky sigh on the other end of the line.

_"Why not?" _Dean asked, _"I wanna see her." _

"Well tough." Bobby replied, "I'm taking her on a hunt with me any minute now, so after your next job you can come pick her up."

_"Keep me posted, okay?" _Dean said quietly, _"I need to know she's safe, Bobby..." _

"Well, maybe next time you hunt with her you'll treat her with a little more respect and give her a little more responsibility, huh?"

_"Yeah." _Dean replied, _"Thanks." _

"No problem."

The two of them hung up and Bobby turned to see Blaire, the young girl standing with her bags in hand and a smile on her face, looking healthier than she had in a long time.

"You ready?" He asked, earning a nod, "Let's go then."

This was going to be interesting for Bobby and Blaire, both of them working together on a case which they hadn't really done before. They had whilst John had been there, but he and Bobby had led the whole thing, Blaire just following orders as always. Bobby had felt sorry for Blaire on that hunt, seeing how defeated she looked and how John sometimes belittled her, never intentionally but he had once or twice. Bobby had faith that Blaire would do just fine, and he knew that if her dad had taught her right, this hunt would go smoother than one of Dean's chat-up lines.

-TBC-

* * *

**Really hope you liked the twist and that hunt will cover the next chapter or two! **

**I'll update ASAP! **

**Thanks for reading so far! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Eleven**

"Okay," Bobby sighed as he entered the motel room, Blaire busy filing and highlighting her research that she'd found earlier that day, "According to the cops, a neighbour heard screamin' at about three-thirty in the morning. Went to check on the Johnsons and found 'em dead in the living room with slit throats. She's currently in hospital having suffered a heart attack at the sight."

"Oh, God..." Blaire breathed, "That's awful..."

"So, do you wanna head out to see her tomorrow?" Bobby asked, Blaire smiling and nodding in response.

Bobby was so good with her that way, always trying to get her included and involved wherever he could. He'd done that before and John didn't like him for it, since Blaire had almost gotten herself killed, but if she didn't take a risk once in a while, she'd never learn. Bobby had understood that. John hadn't.

"How you doin', Blaire?" He asked, "You okay?"

"Hmmm." She replied, sighing and rubbing her forehead, "Just getting a headache."

"Take a break, y'idjit." Bobby laughed, "How long you been researching for?"

"Three hours..." Blaire replied, huffing and taking the beer Bobby offered, "Thanks."

"So...you gonna talk to your brother?"

"Not yet."

There was a silence between the pair, Blaire packing her files away before grabbing a pack of cards she always kept with her. She tapped the deck on the table and Bobby looked up with a raised eyebrow.

"Cards?"

* * *

"Stick."

"Whatcha got?"

"Twenty-one..."

Bobby growled and threw his cards on the table, Blaire grinning and shuffling the deck again.

"How are you doing this?" Bobby asked, "You're cheating, girl."

"I never!" Blaire protested, chuckling and blushing, "Okay...Dad was telling me."

"Your dad?"

"Yeah...my dad's standing right behind you." The young woman laughed, "Swayze him, Dad."

That's when Bobby's baseball hat flew off of his head, the hunter looking terrified.

"See." Blaire chuckled, "Told you."

"Hey, John..." Bobby said, if a little nervously, catching the hat as Blaire threw it back to him, "Damn...you're a medium, Blaire...?"

Blaire giggled and nodded, a sad sigh escaping her lips as she took down her shot of whiskey.

"Its what's causing a lot of tension between me and the boys...y'know. Sam's finding it hard to accept...Dean's trying to keep the peace and its all just..." She trailed off, "Dean's becoming more like Dad by the day...and not the good side of Dad."

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked, "Like he doesn't think you're capable of doing the job by yourself?"

"Dean doesn't think I'm capable at all." Blaire replied sadly, pouring herself some more whiskey.

"How the hell can he think that?" Bobby asked with exasperation, "You've saved his ass more times than I can count!"

"Well, clearly, Dean doesn't see it that way." Blaire said, taking down the shot, "I'd better slow down."

Bobby nodded and took the bottle away, looking at the girl he considered a daughter before sighing and rubbing his forehead.

"Get some sleep, sweetheart." He said softly, "You got a big day tomorrow."

Blaire got up and kissed Bobby's cheek, the older hunter pulling her into an embrace and pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Y'know, you are one of the best hunters ever born." He told her, "Don't ever let anyone tell you any different."

"Thanks." Blaire whispered, "That means a lot, Bobby."

Blaire grabbed her clothes and went to get changed in the bathroom, Bobby texting Dean to tell him she was okay, and to warn him that she cheated at cards.

* * *

"So, Miss Ellison says she heard a voice among the screams that was talking about being failed..." Blaire said as she closed the motel room door, stopping in her tracks as she saw both Sam and Dean standing there with guilty looks on their faces, "What the _fuck _are you doing here?"

"I called them, Blaire." Bobby said, Blaire gasping and grimacing at him, "Your older brother's just been added to the Fed's database."

"Guess I'd better pack, huh?" Blaire huffed, knowing that there was no point in trying to discuss anything, "Do I have a choice?"

"Not really." Dean replied, a weak smile spreading across his face as he pulled that gorgeous girl into his arms, holding his baby sister tightly to his body, "I'm so, so sorry...I know you're amazing at the job...and I know how hard you work on a job."

Blaire just nodded throwing her clothes into her bag and looking to Bobby with sad eyes.

"I'll be fine, Blaire." He said softly, "I'll call Jo out...maybe she can help me."

"Jo's not our biggest fan right now," Dean said, "So just don't mention us."

"Why?" Blaire asked, not liking the looks on her brother's faces, "What happened?"

"We'll explain later." Sam replied, Blaire saying her goodbyes to Bobby before heading out with her brothers.

"Well...so much for an independent hunt." She huffed, climbing into the back of the Impala before they sped up, "That had to be the weirdest...Christ, I don't even know what to say..."

"Then don't say anything, sweetie." Dean said softly, "Just...focus on the road, huh?"

"You gonna treat me like a four year old anymore?"

"No."

* * *

Sam, Dean and Blaire sat in a diner, Dean relishing in the fact that he was in the Fed's database. Sam seemed jealous, whereas Blaire was just relieved that at least one of them could cover their tracks easily.

"What do you got on the case there, you innocent, harmless young man, you?" Dean asked, Sam giving him bitchface #25 while Blaire almost spat out her water.

Sam sighed and pulled out a stack of papers, Blaire looking at the cast on his arm.

"I wish you guys would talk to me more..." She breathed, Dean nudging her when she stole a fry.

"Architech Sean Boyden plummeted to his death from the roof of his home..." Sam began, "A condominium he designed."

Dean hummed while Blaire raised an eyebrow, stealing another fry and dipping it in the ketchup which earned a glare from Dean.

"Build a high-rise and jump of the top it?" She asked, "Classy."

"When did he call Animal Control?" Dean asked.

"Two days earlier." Sam replied.

"Did he actually say 'black dog'?" Blaire asked, taking a drink and frowning a little as she did.

"Yeah." Sam replied, Dean smiling at his sister and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"What was that for?" She asked, Dean beaming at her and hugging her with one arm for just a second.

"Just glad to have you back, honey."

"He said, 'Vicious, wild black dog." Sam said, studying his notes.

He looked lovely in burgundy, Blaire thought as she took yet another drink of water.

"The authorities couldn't find it. No-one else saw it." Sam told them, both Dean and Blaire raising eyebrows at each other, "In fact, authorities are confused as to how a wild dog could get past the doorman, take the elevator and roam the halls of the cushiest joint in town. After that, no more calls, he doesn't show up for work. Two days later he takes a swan dive."

"You think we're dealing with an actual black dog?" Blaire asked, concern all over her face as she asked.

"Well...maybe."

"What's the lore on it?" Dean asked.

"Vague." Blaire piped up, shocking both boys, "Very vague."

She beckoned Sam to pass her the papers and he did, the young woman studying them before revealing all she knew.

"There are spectral black dogs all over the world." She began, "Some say they're animal spirits, others...death omens. But anyways, whatever they are, they're big...nasty..."

"I bet they could hump the crap out of your leg..." Dean said, earning a tut from his sister, "Look at that one, huh...?"

He chuckled and showed Sam the picture, the younger Winchester frowning at him as if to say, 'You immature teenager.'

"What?" Dean asked, "They could!"

Blaire nudged her brother, stealing another fry before he dipped his pinky in ketchup, wiping it on her face.

"EWWW!" She hissed, "You're fucking disgusting! Sam, wipe it off!"

Sam, who was laughing his head off, leaned over and wiped it, some of it being in her blonde curls which Sam wiped away with a napkin. Blaire chuckled, taking a sip of water before hugging Dean tight, kissing his cheek and running her fingers through the hair at the back of his head. She was glad to be back with her brothers, and this time, she had faith that they'd treat her with some respect.

* * *

"So, you and Sean Boyden were business partners for almost ten years, right?" Sam asked as he, Dean and Blaire interviewed a witness, dressed in those familiar suits as always.

"That's right..." The man said, "One more time, this is for...?"

"A tribute for Mr. Boyden." Dean said, "_Architectural Digest_."

Blaire hated lying to people, but it was part of this life and there was no escaping it. The guy was fucking laughing and Blaire's stomach churned. She glared at him, Dean raising an eyebrow at her as she did.

"Funny to you?" She asked.

"No." The guy replied, "It's just a...tribute. Yeah."

The Winchesters were confused and the man took a breath.

"See, Sean always got the tributes," He said, Dean and Sam nodding in response, "He kills himself...leaves me and his family behind, but he gets another tribute."

"Right." Sam said, Blaire and Dean sharing slightly uncomfortable looks at the bitterness of the remark, "Any idea why he'd do such a thing?"

"I have no clue." The man replied, "I mean, he lived the charmed life."

"How so?" Blaire asked

"He was a flat-out genius." The guy told them, "I mean, I'm capable, but next to him...it wasn't always that way, either."

"No?" Dean asked.

"Wanna know the truth?" The man asked, Dean, Sam and Blaire all looking intrigued, "There was a time when he couldn't design a pup tent. Hell, ten years ago, he worked as a bartender at this place called Lloyd's. Complete dive."

"Right, so what changed?" Blaire asked.

"You got me..." The man replied, "But overnight, he gets this huge commission and he starts designing...he starts designing the most ingenious buildings anyone has ever seen."

Wow...the guy was getting a little steamed up.

"It was like the level of Van Gogh and Mozart..."

He stopped mid sentence, causing the family concern.

"What?" Dean asked.

"It's funny..." The guy began, "True geniuses, they seem to die young, don't they?"

Sam grimaced, Blaire and Dean raising eyebrows at each other.

"To have that kind of talent." The man breathed, "Why? Why just throw it away?"

* * *

Dean was currently in the Animal Control Agency building, Sam and Blaire left alone in the Impala to talk.

"So...how'd the hunt go with Bobby?" Sam asked, Blaire huffing in response.

"How can it even be called a hunt?" She asked, "We were in the research stage...with Bobby doing a couple of interviews..."

"Seriously?" Sam asked, "That's all you got done?"

"We did have to travel from South Dakota to Ohio...and get a portfolio on the case started." Blaire said, "And we had to stop for food and rest."

"A portfolio?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. How'd you think I built these files up?" Blaire asked, "Oh...here we go."

Dean made his way out of the building to the car, both younger Winchesters bracing themselves for the information they'd receive.

"So?" Sam asked.

"The secretary's name is Carly." Dean began, "She's twenty-three, she kayaks...and they're real."

"Give me strength..." Blaire muttered, "What info did you get on the _case_, honey?"

"Yeah, you didn't happen to ask her if she's seen any black dogs lately, did you?" Sam asked, Dean brandishing some papers with a yellow post-it note attached to them.

"Every complaint called in this week about anything big, black or dog-like." He replied, "There's nineteen calls in all, and, uh..."

He pulled the post-it note from the paper and showed his siblings.

"I don't know what this thing is..."

"You mean Carly's MySpace address?" Sam asked, Blaire grinning like an idiot in response.

"Wow! Atta boy, Dean!"

"MySpace?" Dean asked, "What the hell is that?"

Sam and Blaire both chuckled, Dean totally not getting it, what with him being a bit of a social networking virgin.

"Seriously, is that like some sort of porn site?"

Blaire couldn't hold her laughter anymore and she burst into a fit of it, covering her face with her hands and laughing so hard she was almost jack-knifing in her seat. Yeah. It was definitely great to be back with her brothers.

* * *

The siblings had been talking to people for a while and a lot of interviews were turning up no results. That's when they reached a large white house, Dean knocking on the door whilst holding the sheet of paper in his hand.

"I swear, if this is another freakin' Pomeranian barking in the neighbour's yard..." He said as the door opened, "Afternoon, ma'am...uh, Animal Control."

He showed her his ID, and the poor woman looked so confused.

"Oh, uh, someone already came yesterday..."

"Yeah, we're just following up." Sam said, Blaire proud of her brother and his quick thinking, "We're looking for a Dr. Sylvia Pearlman."

The woman gave a weak smile, letting the siblings inside.

"The doctor, well, she..." She began, "I don't know when she'll be back. She left two days ago."

"Okay." Blaire said softly, "And you are?"

"I'm Ms. Pearlman's maid."

"So, where did the doctor go?" Dean asked, the maid sighing before answering.

"I'm not sure. She just packed and went..." She replied, "She didn't say where. That stray dog, did you find it finally?"

"Not yet." Sam said, "You know, you didn't ever happen to see the dog yourself, did you?"

"Well, no." The maid answered, "I never even heard it."

Dean was busy checking out photos, Blaire and Sam trying to keep the maid occupied with questions.

"I was starting to think the doctor was imagining things, but she's not like that. So..."

"Y'know I read that she's a chief surgeon at the hospital?" Dean began, "She's gotta be what, forty-two, forty-three? That's pretty young for that job."

"Youngest in the history of the place." The maid said, Blaire impressed by that, "She got the position ten years ago."

"Huh..." Sam huffed, "An overnight success, ten years ago."

"Yeah, we know a guy like that." Blaire said, the Winchesters sharing smiles in the process.

"Oh, look at this," Dean said, turning over the photo to reveal some writing.

_Lloyd's Bar, November 1996. _

Horrible realisation hit the Winchesters when they knew that the doctor's life was in danger. Next stop: Lloyd's.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for reading so far! **

**xxxxxxxxx  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twelve**

The Impala pulled up outside Lloyd's, the Winchesters climbing out to inspect the area. Blaire winced as the sunlight bore down on her, squinting out of reflex in the bright light of the day. They walked in comfortable silence towards the bar, Dean spotting a lot of yellow flowers by the roadside.

"Hey..." He began.

"Yeah?" Sam and Blaire replied, both stopping as Dean did and looking around.

"That's weird..." Dean said.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Y'think someone planted these?" He asked, Blaire gasping as she looked around her.

"Shit..." She breathed, "We're at a crossroads..."

Her revelation went unheard and the brothers headed over to inspect the plants, Blaire getting a good look of the surroundings.

"In the middle of all these weeds?" Sam asked.

"These are...what do-you-call-'em?" Dean began.

"Yarrow flowers!" Blaire called, running over to her brothers, "Used for summoning rituals...we're at a crossroads, guys..."

Her brothers raised eyebrows.

"Two people become overnight successes ten years ago...after hanging out here at Lloyd's..." She puffed, "C'mon! That can't be a coincidence, right?"

"Let's find out..." Dean said, the family heading to the middle of the roads, "This seem about the dead center to you?"

Grabbing a shovel from the Impala, Dean began to dig, Blaire knowing full well they'd find a box under there. The gravel looked as though it had been disturbed before right where they were standing. She'd be very surprised if it wasn't crossroads deals they were working with here.

"Yahtzee." Dean breathed as he hit something solid, the family kneeling down while Dean pulled out a metal box, opening it up to reveal bones, a photo and a bottle of what appeared to be graveyard dirt.

"Shit!" Blaire huffed, scrubbing a hand over her face.

"That's serious spell work," Dean said, "I mean, that's deep south hoodoo stuff..."

"Used to summon a demon..." Sam added, Blaire shaking her head with wide eyes.

"Not just to summon one." She said, standing up as her brothers did, "Crossroads are where pacts are made! Can you see the link now? People are making deals here...this is dangerous..."

Dean and Sam looked unnerved as Blaire scrubbed a hand over her face again.

"They're seeing dogs alright..." She huffed, "Fucking hellhounds..."

"Ah, Christ..." Dean breathed.

"Whoever this demon is," Blaire continued, "It's back...and it's collecting, okay? This is some serious shit we're dealing with here...I'm talking about selling souls."

"How the hell do you know so much of this stuff?" Dean asked, Blaire biting her lip.

"It pays to be constantly on the road with the man who taught you everything...you learn a hell of a lot." Blaire replied, "Look, that doctor lady, wherever she's running...she ain't running fast enough."

* * *

Blaire loved sunset. It was a gorgeous time of day, and now she and her brothers were discussing if the stuff she was telling them was actually true.

"Well, there's the Robert Johnson legend, right?" Sam said, "Selling your soul at the crossroads kind of deal?"

"That's what I've been telling you." Blaire said, biting her lip, "This case has got bad news written all over it."

"Yeah, except that wasn't a legend." Dean said, "You know his music..."

There was no response from Sam and Blaire gasped.

"You don't know Robert Johnson's songs?" She asked, "There's occult references all over his lyrics...I mean: 'Cross Road Blues', 'Me and the Devil Blues', 'Hellhound on My Trail'?"

Dean rolled his eyes when Sam looked completely confused.

"The story goes that he died choking on his own blood..." He told the youngest member of the family, "He was hallucinating and muttering about big, evil dogs."

"Now it's happening all over again." Sam realised.

"Yep." Blaire said, huffing out a laugh, "Seriously, guys...we are in a heap of crap here...so we gotta find out if anyone struck any bargains around here."

"Great." Dean replied, "So we clean up other people's mess for 'em? They're not exactly squeaky clean!"

Blaire sighed and rubbed her forehead as her brother began to rant a little.

"Nobody put a gun to their head and forced 'em to play 'Let's Make a Deal'!"

"So what?" Sam asked, "We just leave 'em to die?"

"Someone goes over Niagara in a barrel, you gonna jump in and try to save 'em?"

"Dean, that's not the point!" Blaire said, grabbing her brother's arm, "You always make the point about how we save people doing this job...and I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna sit back and let someone get eaten alive by a Hellish pitbull okay?"

"Alright, fine." Dean said with a smirk, "Rituals like this, you put your own photo into the mix, right?"

"Yeah."

"So this guy probably summoned the thing. I'll go and see if anyone inside knows him." Dean said, "If he's still alive."

Sam and Blaire were left to ponder, the younger Winchester turning to his older sister and grimacing.

"How do you actually know so much?" He asked, "Dad...Dad wasn't aware of this much stuff."

"With a friend like Bobby Singer you'll be stocked up on your knowledge," Blaire replied, "That guy knows everything, and I mean _everything _about hunting. Damn, he taught me so much in the two days we spent on that so-called hunt, more than dad taught me in a fortnight!"

There was a slightly edgy silence in the air before Sam asked a question to change the topic.

"You still talk to Ash?"

"Not really." Blaire replied, "I don't have time when I'm working with you knuckleheads, do I, huh?"

The tone was jokey and Sam smiled, pulling his sister in for a hug.

"I love you, Blaire," He said softly, kissing her head, "Y'know that, right?"

"Yeah, I love you too, you big bag-o'-bones, you!" She replied, ruffling Sam's hair which earned her a playful punch on the arm, "Ouch, bitch! That hurt me!"

"Sorry, shrimp, but you asked for it!" Sam replied with a laugh.

"Ooooh, getting personal are we, gigantor?" Blaire asked, "You wanna go right here?"

Great. A playfight.

"Come on, big boy...show me watcha got!"

Sam grabbed his sister and tickled her stomach, Blaire screaming and laughing in response to the action. When Dean left the bar not long after, he couldn't believe he was watching his siblings playfighting by the car. Good God, how times had changed.

* * *

"What's this guy's name again?" Blaire asked as she and her brothers ascended the stairs to an ugly apartment building.

The place was dull and dark, with dark wooden floors and cream paintwork, enough to give Blaire a sour face at least.

"George Darrow." Dean replied, "Apparently quite the regular at Lloyd's."

"His house probably ain't up next on MTV Cribs is it?" Blaire laughed, the others chuckling in response.

"Yeah," Sam agreed, "So, whatever kinda deal he made..."

"It wasn't for cash..." Dean said, "Oh, who knows? Maybe his place is full of babes in Princess Leia bikinis?"

"You're disgusting." Blaire said, Sam chuckling and nudging her arm.

"I'm just saying!" Dean laughed, "This guy's got one epic bill come due. Hope at least he asked for something fun!"

The siblings reached his apartment, Sam spotting something on the floor.

"Hey, look at that..."

Dean went to check it, picking some up and smelling it.

"What is that?" He asked, "Pepper?"

Blaire jumped as the door opened, straight to her feet and going a little wide-eyed as George answered the door.

"Who the hell are you? He asked, both brothers jumping up in shock.

"George Darrow?" Dean asked, the poor guy in front of them looking frightened.

"I'm not buyin' anything." He said, shutting the door on them.

"Looks like you went for the wrong shaker there." Dean said with a soft smirk, "Usually when you wanna keep something evil out, you go for the salt."

George looked at the family with wide eyes before heading straight into denial.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"We're talking about this." Blaire said, taking a step forward with the photo in her hand, "Tell me...you seen that hellhound yet?"

"Look, we wanna help..." Sam said, "Please...just five minutes..."

The man let them in, the Winchesters hardly able to believe what they were seeing. The guy had skulls and all sorts in his place, and the skulls creeped Blaire out a lot. She grabbed Sam's arm, the younger Winchester smiling and kissing her head to calm her.

"So what is that stuff out front?" Sam asked.

"Goofer dust..." George replied, the Winchesters sharing confused looks, "You kids think you know something about something but not goofer dust?"

He threw a bag to Dean who scowled at him.

"We know a little about a lot of things." He said, "Just enough to make us dangerous."

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"Hoodoo." George replied, "My grandma taught me."

"Awww, how sweet." Blaire muttered, coughing to clear up her words.

"Keeps out demons." George told them, Blaire huffing a little.

"Demons we know." She said, Dean smirking and nodding.

"Yeah, you're looking at a girl who's been possessed several times." He said, nodding his head towards Blaire

George raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"Well then, keep it." George said, "Maybe it'll do you some good. Four minutes left."

"Mr. Darrow..." Sam began, "We know you're in trouble."

"Yeah, that you got yourself into." Dean said, Blaire smacking his arm hard and causing him to yelp in surprise.

"But it's not hopeless, alright?" Sam continued, "There's gotta be something we can do."

And that was Sam for you. Always trying to help other people and willing to die trying. That's what Blaire loved so much about her baby brother, his willingness to help others.

"Listen," George said, sitting in the chair which creaked as he did, "I get that you kids wanna help. But sometimes a person makes their bed and they just gotta lie down in it."

He sighed.

"I'm the one who called that demon in the first place."

"What did you do it for?" Dean asked.

"I was weak." George simply replied, "I mean, who don't wanna be great? Who don't want their life to mean something? I just...I just never thought about the price..."

"Most people don't..." Blaire said, Dean looking at her and seeing the sadness in her eyes.

It was like she knew about what John had done...why he died. Although she spoke to him a lot so Dean imagined she did know. She still kept the promise Dean had made to him, and not told Sam the truth.

"Was it worth it?" Dean asked.

"Hell no..." George replied, "Of course, I asked for talent. Should have gone for fame! I'm still broke. And lonely. Just now, I got this pile of paintings don't nobody want. But that wasn't the worst."

The siblings looked up with interest, George sighing before continuing.

"Go on..." Sam said, feeling a gentle hand against his own as Blaire slid hers into his, holding it tight.

He wondered what was going on in her head, but it wasn't good, and the poor girl had tears in those beautiful green eyes that were still hidden under that long fringe.

"Demon didn't leave." George said, "I never counted on that. After our deal was done, the damn thing satyed at Lloyd's for a week, just chatting...making more deals."

Dean and his siblings shared looks of concern, Blaire's eyes trained on the man before her.

"I tried to warn folks, but who's gonna listen to an old drunk?"

"How many others are there?" Blaire asked, feeling her heart racing in her chest at the thought of how many people could possible be killed.

"This architect..." George answered, "A doctor lady, I kept up with them. They been in the papers. At least they got famous."

He took a drink of whiskey, while Blaire grew upset and nervous, Dean and Sam wondering what was happening in that pretty little head of hers that would get her like this.

"Who else, George?" She asked, "Come on...think...please!"

"One more..." George replied, "Uh...a nice guy too. Hudson. Evan, I think."

The Winchesters shared yet more concerned glances.

"I don't know what he asked for." George said for a smile, "Don't matter now. We done for."

"No." Sam said quietly, "No, there's gotta be a way."

"You don't get it..." George said, shaking his head, "I don't want a way!"

"Look, you don't have to..."

"Look, I called the damn thing!" George barked, standing up out of his chair, "I brought it on myself! I brought it on them."

He had tears in his eyes and Blaire winced at them, George turning away from them.

"I'm going to Hell, one way or the other." He said brokenly, "All I want is to finish my last painting. A day or two, I'm done. I'm just trying to hold him off 'til the end. Buy a little time."

He turned away and sighed.

"Okay, kids. Time you went." He said, "Go help somebody that wants help."

"We can't just..." Blaire began, being cut off.

"Get out." George bit, "I got work to do."

"You don't really wanna die!" Blaire said, George turning to her.

"I don't?" He asked, "I'm...I'm tired."

The brothers shared looks and Dean took Blaire's hand, pressing a kiss to it and leading her outside, the young girl struggling quietly against him as they went. She hated it if someone died because of her, if she failed someone and she felt like she'd failed George. When they got outside the apartment, she started to cry quietly, Dean pulling her into his arms and hushing her, promising her that she was okay. He pressed kisses to her hair and ran his fingers through those beautiful curls, looking to Sam who grimaced with sympathy and rubbed Blaire's back comfortingly. Now, they had to find the man George had been talking about.

Evan Hudson.

* * *

"Yes?" Evan asked as he opened the door.

"Evan Hudson?" Sam asked.

"Yeah..."

"You ever been to a bar called Lloyd's?" Blaire asked, "Would've been about ten years ago...?"

Evan slammed the door shut and Dean sighed.

"C'mon!" He huffed, "We're not demons! Although, she can be a bit of a bitch on a morning...but..."

"Hey!" Blaire cried, "You take that back!"

Dean chuckled and she punched his stomach, the older Winchester hunching in pain before glaring at her.

"Any other bright ideas?" Sam asked, Dean frowning at him in response before kicking the door in.

"Really smart..." Blaire muttered, all three of them rushing in and looking around for Evan.

They reached a door, Dean going to kick it in before Sam grabbed his leg.

"Wait!" He hissed, opening the door by the handle and heading into the room carefully.

"Evan?" He asked.

"Please!" Came the startled cry, Evan backing away from the siblings with his hands up, "Don't hurt me..."

"We're not gonna hurt you..." Sam said softly, "Alright? We're here to help you."

"We know all about the genius deal you made." Blaire said with a low tone.

"What?" Evan asked, "How?"

"It doesn't matter." Dean told him, "All that matters is we're trying to stop it."

"How do I know you're not lying?" Evan asked.

"Well, you don't, but you're low on options there, buddy boy..." Blaire replied, Evan looking as though he was about to suffer a breakdown as he paced around the room.

"You think you can stop it?" He asked.

"Don't know." Sam replied, "We'll try."

"I don't wanna die." Evan said.

"'Course you don't." Dean replied, "Not now."

"Dean. Stop." Sam said.

"What did you ask for anyway, Ev, huh?" Dean asked, "To never need Viagra? Bowl a perfect game? What?"

"My wife." Evan replied, the answer making Dean laugh.

"Right. Getting the girl." He chuckled, "That's worth a trip to Hell."

"Dean!" Blaire hissed, "Stop it, right now!"

"No." Evan said, the family looking up at him, "He's right, I made the deal. Nobody twisted my arm. That woman, or whatever she was at the bar, she said I could have anything I wanted. I thought she was nuts at first, but..."

He stopped, sighing and shaking his head.

"I don't know, I was...I was desperate."

"Desperate?" Sam asked.

"Julie was dying." Evan said, Blaire closing her eyes at the words.

He'd made a deal to save his wife's life. Only someone who truly loved another person would do something like that.

"You did it to save her?" Dean asked, feeling like a total jerk after what he'd said.

"She had cancer." Evan said, "They stopped her treatment and they were moving her into hospice...they kept saying a matter of days."

Everyone was silent, Blaire swallowing thickly and looking up at Dean who just couldn't meet her gaze.

"So, yeah. I made the deal." Evan continued, "And I'd do it again. I'd have died for her on the spot."

"Did you ever think about her in all this?" Dean asked.

"I did this for her." Evan replied.

"You sure about that?" Dean asked, "I think you did it for yourself. So you wouldn't have to live without her. But guess what? She's gonna have to live without you now."

Dean was right, and everyone in the room knew it.

"And what if she knew how much it cost?" Dean asked, close to tears.

Blaire was in tears and Sam had them in his eyes.

"What if she knew it cost your soul?" Dean asked, now biting back anger, "How do you think she'd feel?"

"Okay, that's enough, honey..." Blaire said softly, sniffling as she took Dean's hand, "Evan...sit tight, alright? We're gonna figure this out..."

Dean walked away, Blaire turning and heading after him while Sam patted Evan on the back gently, following his siblings.

"You alright?" Sam asked, Dean turning and looking at his brother while Blaire just kept walking.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Dean replied, walking towards Sam. "Hey, I got an idea..."

He pulled out the bag of Goofer dust.

"Throw the hoodoo at the hellhound. Keep it away as long as you can." He said, "I'll go to the crossroads, summon the demon."

"Summon..." Blaire said, turning and moving back to her brother, "Are you nuts?"

"Maybe a little." Dean replied, "But I can trap it...I can exorcise it and I can buy us time to figure out something more permanent."

"How much time?" Sam asked.

"A while." Dean replied, "It's not easy for those suckers to claw their way back up from Hell into the sunshine."

"No...no way..." Sam breathed.

"Not allowed to say no, Sammy, not unless you got a better idea."

"He's right." Blaire said, Sam looking at his siblings like they'd gone insane.

"Dean, forget it!" He protested, "I'm not letting you summon a demon."

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"Because I don't like where your head is at right now, that's why!" Sam replied.

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked.

"You've been on edge since we found that crossroads!" Sam said, "So has Blaire, and I think I know why!"

"Don't have time for this." Dean said, walking past his brother, "Gonna need you on this one, Blaire."

"Dad." Sam said, both older Winchesters stopping in their tracks, "You think maybe Dad made one of these deals, huh?"

Dean and Blaire turned, both looking at Sam with grimaces.

"Hell...I've been thinking it." Sam said, "I'm sure you've been thinking it too."

After a pause, a tear sliding down Blaire's face in the process, Dean smirked a little.

"It fits, doesn't it?" He said, "I'm alive. Dad's dead. Yellow-eyed demon was involved. What if he did? What if he struck a deal? My life for his soul?"

Then came Evan's voice, frightened and wary.

"I think I hear it!" He called, "It's outside!"

"Just keep him alive, okay?" Dean said, grabbing Blaire's hand and heading for the doors with her.

"Dean!" Sam called.

"Go!" Blaire yelled, "Please, Sam!"

She and Dean made for the Impala, Dean turning and kissing his sister's forehead.

"Right, you stay in the car..." He told her, "I'll flick my fingers three times like this..."

He showed her the signal.

"When it's time for you to come and help me, okay?"

"Okay..." Blaire replied, "I love you, Dean."

"Love you too, sweetie." Dean replied, the pair climbing into the car and making for that crossroads.

Show time.

-TBC-

* * *

**Ooooh showdown time! **

**I'll update soon! **

**I hope you enjoyed and thanks for all the support so far! **

**You guys are so amazing! **

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	13. Chapter 13

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Thirteen**

Blaire watched with frightened anticipation as Dean buried his box in the ground, watching his hands and face in particular as often as possible. The demon appeared and holy cow she was pretty! Jesus, and the look on Dean's face was something else completely. Crap, crap, crap...they were heading for the car.

"Mom..." Blaire hissed, "Little help here, please!"

All of a sudden, Blaire was hidden behind the Impala, a kiss being pressed to her temple before Mary vanished from her senses, a tear sliding down the middle Winchester's cheek as she felt the disappearance. It always had the same effect. The night was cold and Blaire shivered slightly by the car, wondering how on earth Sam was getting on with Evan. She heard what Dean was saying. Jesus Christ he was offering himself to this bitch...oh God, no...

The door creaked open, the demon spotting the trap which frightened the crap out of both Dean and Blaire. Shit, now she was talking about their father, taunting Dean like a bully in the school yard and Blaire had heard enough. She was even offering Dean their father back and Blaire couldn't stand it. The demon went to walk away and Dean was...oh God...Dean was caving...

For the first time since John had died, Blaire began to pray to anyone who would listen to her.

"Please..." She thought, "Somebody, please help us..."

The bitch was offering Dean ten years with their father, all of them together: "The Winchester family reunited". Well, no matter how much they missed their father, Blaire was not losing her brother for the sake of a man who died to save him in the first place. It would all have been a waste and it was hard enough dealing with John's loss without having to deal with losing the person John gave himself up for at the start.

That was when the demon stopped and looked up. Thank God! Dean had already drawn a trap! Thank God! _Thank you, God!_ Blaire jumped up, hating herself for even thinking Dean would've been weakened by the demon's words before moving over to her brother, the demon turning to her too.

"Blaire Winchester..." She breathed, "Nice to meet you."

"Wish I could say the same for you, bitch." Blaire replied, smiling at her brother with tearful eyes, "I doubted you there for a minute, Dean...I'm sorry."

Dean just nodded, Blaire knowing he wasn't angry with her which relieved her greatly.

"Dean...let me out now." The demon ordered, Dean smirking at her.

"Sure, but we just gotta make a little deal here first," He replied, "You call off your hellhound, and let Evan go. Then I'll let you go."

"I can't break a binding contract." The demon hissed, Blaire smirking and folding her arms.

"I think you can, sugar." She said with a smile, "I think you _will_."

"Last chance." Dean said, "Evan and his wife get to live to a ripe, old age."

The demon just glared at him.

"Going, going..."

"Let's talk about this." She said.

"Okay. Gone." Dean replied, pulling out his exorcism script and standing with his sister, who snuggled up to him and linked his arm.

"It's a little cold out here." She said, Dean smiling and kissing her temple as though they were just having a conversation in a normal situation, which in all honesty freaked the demon out a little.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Oh, you're just gonna go on a little trip." Dean answered, "Way down south."

"Look, forget Evan!" The demon said desperately, "Think of your dad!"

Dean stopped for a moment and smirked, trying to cover his hurt which made Blaire wince. She slid their hands together, gripping Dean's tightly and promising him all she could with her thoughts, trying to send him as many positive messages as she could to tell him to stay strong and not listen to the stupid, evil hellbitch before them. Dean pressed a kiss to his sister's hand and the pair began the exorcism, the demon knowing her time was slowly coming to an end.

"Wait!" The demon cried, Blaire and Dean stopping and listening to her before she threw herself onto Dean, kissing him passionately and the pair moaning into the kiss.

"Eww..." Blaire hissed, turning away and running a hand through her hair before tying it up in a hairband.

"You got what you wanted." The demon said, "Let me go."

Dean considered, Blaire wanting desperately to know what was happening inside her brother's mind.

"You're gonna double-cross me?" The demon asked, "Funny, how I'm the trustworthy one."

Dean smirked, Blaire turning and smirking herself before returning to stand by her brother for a moment.

"You know..." The demon began, "You renege, send me to hell...sooner or later I'm gonna climb out and skinning Evan Hudson will be the first thing that I do."

Blaire and Dean shared looks, both of them knowing that really they had no option but to let her go, as much as Blaire wanted to send her sorry ass back to Hell. Dean climbed up and broke the trap, the demon walking free before turning to both siblings.

"I gotta tell you, You would have never pulled that stunt if you knew." She said.

"Knew what?" Blaire asked.

"Where your dad is." She smirked, "You should've made that deal. See, people talk about Hell, but it's just a word..."

Blaire swallowed thickly.

"It doesn't even come close to describing the real thing." The demon continued, Dean grabbing his sister's hand as the girl was about to attack the demon before them.

"Shut your mouth, bitch." Dean hissed, being cut off by the demon who just would not stop talking.

"If you could see your daddy, hear the sounds he makes 'cause he can't even scream..."

"How about we send you back, you fucking disgusting piece of dirt?" Blaire yelled, unable to stop the tears filling her eyes.

That's when the demon left the woman's body, the poor girl so terrified, the Winchesters didn't know what to do.

* * *

"Demons lie all the time, right?" Sam asked, disturbed by what his siblings had told him while Blaire cried in silence on the backseat of the Impala, "Maybe she was lying..."

"Come on." Dean said, his face clearly showing how deeply troubled he'd been by the words of that bitch at the crossroads, "Is that really what you think?"

Dean, exasperated by the 'stupidity' of his father, sighed and swallowed thickly.

"How could he do it?"

"He did it for you." Blaire replied, sighing shakily, "For you, Dean."

"Exactly." Dean said brokenly, "How am I supposed to live with that?"

Blaire let out a sob and covered her eyes with one hand, the other arm around her waist as her head fell forwards in despair.

"Y'know...the thought of him...wherever he is right now," Dean said, tears forming in his eyes, "I mean he spent his whole life chasing that yellow-eyed son of a bitch. He should've gone out fighting. That was supposed to be his legacy, y'know?"

There was a silence.

"Not bargaining with the damn thing."

"How many people do you think Dad saved?" Sam asked tearfully, "Total?"

"That's not the point, Sam."

"Evan Hudson is safe." Sam said, "Because of what Dad taught us. That's his legacy, Dean. Now we're all still here, man...so we gotta keep going. For him."

The loud sob that came from the back seat caused both brothers to wince, Dean looking in the rearview mirror to see Blaire with her head in her hands, rocking on the spot as horrible sobs escaped her lips, hard enough to make the brothers fear she'd have a panic attack.

The oldest Winchester couldn't take it so he pulled over, not caring where the hell the brothers were headed next, just caring about consoling his baby sister. He climbed out of the car as Sam did, both climbing into the back while Dean pulled Blaire close, cradling her body to him and whispering gentle words into her ear, promising her that it was okay, as he always did.

Sam dreaded to think that Dean may have considered taking the deal the demon offered him and the look his brother was giving him was confirming all of his fears. As for Blaire, she was so damn upset that she could barely breathe through her sobs. The youngest Winchester began to fear the paths that the family were slowly treading, and he knew there were deeper, darker things about to enter their lives.

He could feel it.

* * *

Sam had endured another vision, and the Winchesters were following it as they had done a lot with his premonitions.

"There was a picture of Crater Lake." Sam said, Blaire looking at Dean through the rear-view mirror and sighing.

"Okay, what else?" Dean asked, the youngest Winchester trying to remember.

"I saw a dark room, some people and a guy tied to a chair." Sam told them, Blaire taking a swig of whiskey out of her hipflask and sighing again.

The brothers had noticed Blaire was slipping back onto the whiskey and it worried them both, especially when they were heading into a job.

"And I ventilated him?" Dean asked, Sam grimacing at him.

"Yeah...you thought there was something inside him."

"A demon?" Dean asked, "Was he possessed?"

"I don't know." Sam replied.

"All your weirdo visions are always tied to the yellow-eyed demon somehow." Dean said, "Was there there black smoke? Did we try to exorcise him?"

"No...nothing..." Sam said, "You just plugged him. That's it."

"I'm sure I had a good reason." Dean said, keeping an eye on his incredibly tired looking sister who sat quietly on the backseat, just watching the world go by.

"I sure hope so." Sam replied, Blaire reaching forward and stroking her fingers through the back of his hair.

"What does that mean?" Dean asked, Blaire removing her hand whilst Sam missed the soothing feeling that Blaire gave him when she did that on car journeys, usually to help him fall asleep, "I mean, I'm not gonna waste an innocent man."

Sam raised his eyebrows and Dean's eyes widened.

"I wouldn't!"

"I never said you would!"

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Children, would you please shut the fuck up?" Blaire hissed, "I'm fucking tired and I'm trying to sleep. Don't get me wrong, this whole scenario's insane, but I just wanna sleep so I can have a fully geared head for this, alright? Sam...maybe you should sleep too, huh?"

Fucking arguments again. Blaire knew that Dean and Sam weren't going to keep their promise to her, that they'd still treat her like the four year old, the housewife, the weaker member of the group, when Blaire knew full well that she could be a hell of a lot stronger than them when she had to be.

The family decided to take a quick rest stop at a motel, since all of them had lost a lot of sleep over the worry about the encounter with the crossroads demon. They took a room with two singles since it was all they could afford and Blaire and Dean had to share a bed. It wasn't unusual for them, and they'd had to before many times and Dean slept that night with his arms around his sister who'd broken into overdue tears of worry, the two falling asleep slowly as Dean had been soothing her the best he could.

He was so good like that, and Blaire knew that there was no-one in the world who could understand her as much as Dean and Sam did, especially Dean.

"I'm just so...afraid that something bad is going to happen to Sammy..." She whispered, "He's the baby out of all of us, we've got to make sure nothing happens to him..."

"I know." Dean replied, "I know we do, honey."

He stroked her face and kissed her temple, leaving the bed and heading for the bathroom. He returned to find Blaire whimpering in her sleep, climbing in beside her and winding his arms around her and hushing her gently, her movements and small cries for both him and Sam fading with each passing minute. He knew something awful was going on inside her head, and he just wished she'd open up to him more than she was.

* * *

"Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and Alicia Ellison." Dean said, reaching for his ID, "U.S. Marshals."

Sam had spotted someone when they'd entered the town of Rivergrove, someone from his vision and the Winchesters had to get answers.

"What's this about?" The man asked, Blaire smiling softly.

"We're looking for someone." She said, Sam speaking next.

"A young man, early twenties," He began, remembering as much as he could, "He'd have a thin scar right below his hairline."

"What'd he do?" The man asked, the siblings becoming a little suspicious when he gave a nervous look.

"Well, nothin'." Dean said, "We're actually looking for someone else. We think this young man can help us."

"Yeah, he's not in any trouble or anything." Dean added, "Well...not yet."

Blaire studied the man for a moment, spotting the tattoo on his arm.

"I think maybe you know who he is, master sergeant." She said, "My dad was in the Corps. A corporal."

"What company?" The man asked.

"Echo two-one." Blaire replied, Sam giving her a quick glance before turning back.

"So can you help us?"

The man thought the decision over for a moment and licked his lips a little nervously, nodding before speaking.

"Duane Tanner's got a scar like that." He said, "But I know him. Good kid. Keeps his nose clean."

"Oh, I'm sure he does." Dean said, "Do you know where he lives?"

"With his family, up Aspen Way." The man replied.

"Thanks." Blaire said softly, the family turning to leave.

They walked across the street, Sam hitting his shoulder against a telegraph pole by accident and noticing some writing etched into it..._CROATOAN. _

"Hey..." He began, Blaire and Dean stopping to look at him.

"Croatoan?" Dean asked.

"Yeah." Sam replied, "Roanoke? Lost colony? Ring a bell?"

Dean looked blank and both Sam and Blaire sighed.

"Dean...did you pay any attention in history class?" She asked.

"Yeah! The shot heard around the world, how bills become laws."

"That's not school." Sam said with exasperation, "That's _Schoolhouse Rock!_"

"Whatever." Dean replied, both he and Blaire bracing themselves for the rant that was coming from Sam.

He'd put his famous bitchface#9 on...the rant face...

"Roanoke was one of the first English colonies in America, late 1500s," Sam began, Dean nodding a little.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I do remember that." He replied, "The only thing they left behind was a single word carved in a tree. Croatoan..."

"Yeah." Sam replied, "And, I mean, there were theories, Indian raid, disease, but nobody knows what really happened...they were just all gone..."

"We're talking wiped out overnight here." Blaire said, "What if that's what's going on here?"

"You don't seriously think..." Dean began, nervousness present in his voice, "I mean..."

"Whatever I saw in my head, it sure wasn't good." Sam said, looking sadly at his siblings, "But what do you think could do that?"

"Well...I mean...like I said," Dean answered, "All your weirdo visions are always tied to the yellow-eyed demon somehow, so..."

"We should get help." Sam said, "Bobby...Ellen, maybe."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Dean replied, going to call their friends but stopping as he did.

"I don't have a signal..." He said, Sam and Blaire both reaching for their phones too.

"I don't either." Sam said.

"Me neither." Blaire added, a nervous look being shared between the three before they continued walking, going for the pay phone only to realise that wasn't working either.

"Line's dead." Dean said, "I'll tell you one thing. If I was gonna massacre a town, that'd be my first step."

Sam, bless him looked as though he was going to just break down and cry, so Blaire did her best to reassure him.

"Hey..." She said softly, cupping his cheek and gasping as he suddenly pulled her into a tight hug, "Shhh, it's okay, Sammy...it's alright, we'll find out what's happening and...and we'll deal with it as always, okay?"

"Blaire..." He whispered, "Blaire, I'm so scared..."

"I know you are..." Blaire replied, Dean walking away from the chick-flick moment and leaning against a wall, "I know you're scared, but we're here for you okay. We're here for you and here with you every step of the way..."

She kissed Sam's cheek and wiped away one tear that fell down his face, feeling her heart break at the sight of her baby brother so upset and frightened.

"We're not going to abandon you no matter what." She promised, "Okay? Stay strong, baby. Stay strong."

She slid her hand into his, turning and nodding to Dean which signalled for them to leave. They climbed into the car and headed for Aspen Way, Blaire considering what could be happening over and over in her mind.

She remembered Sam saying something about Dean thinking there was something inside this guy, Duane Tanner, and her worst fears were that it was a spreadable disease like something you'd see on Dawn of the Dead. She decided to think about every possibility, going through logically to try and determine which was the most and least likely, and to also try and use her clever brain to use process of elimination and over and over again, her brain went to disease.

Croatoan...Seemed like the kind of name they'd give a population-threatening disease.

Blaire just hoped and prayed that they were dealing with something a lot simpler and safer.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for all the support so far! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Wooo! Chapter fourteen! Okay, so maybe this fic will go on for a lot longer since we're on the fourteenth chapter and about half way through the ninth episode...but I hope you're all enjoying this and I'm doing the show justice even with a sister in the middle. When it comes to the later stories for the later seasons, you'll find Blaire to have her own amazing twists which I hope you enjoy too! I've got plenty of scenes, particularly for my season 5 story saved away so some chapters will be up quicker than others.

Anyway, enough of my waffling! Hope you enjoy the chapter and please review!

xxxxxxxxxxx

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Fourteen**

The sky had become a strange shade of white, mist beginning to gather as the siblings headed towards the cabin-like house that sat on Aspen Way. The Winchesters hoped they could find answers and fast, because hope was slowly beginning to drain from them. Sam knocked on the door, the three waiting patiently for an answer. A young man answered the door, hair dark and flicked up at the front. He looked about eighteen, if that.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Hi..." Dean said, showing his badge, "Looking for Duane Tanner. He lives here, right?"

"He's my brother." The young man replied, nodding in response to Dean's question.

"Could we talk to him please?" Blaire asked, Dean grimacing a little when the man checked her out.

"He's not here right now." The young man replied, licking his lips as he looked at Blaire's chest.

The middle Winchester glared, frightening the boy a little.

"You know where he is?" She asked, piercing eyes narrowed and focused.

"Yeah. He went on a fishing trip up by Roslyn Lake." The man replied, Sam raising his eyebrow.

"Your parents home?" He asked.

"Yeah, they're inside."

"Jake? Who is it?" Came a man's voice, the Winchesters memorising the name quickly.

The owner of the voice appeared at the door. He was about five feet and nine inches tall, maybe five-ten at a push. The same height as Blaire. He had grey hair that was darker at the top and bright blue eyes, an expression of worry etched on his face.

"U.S Marshals, sir." Dean said, "We're looking for your son, Duane."

"W-Why?" The man asked, "He's not in trouble, is he?"

"No, no, no, no." Blaire assured him, "We just need to ask him a couple of routine questions, that's all."

"When's he due back from his trip?" Sam asked.

"I'm not sure." The man replied.

"Maybe your wife knows?" Blaire suggested, putting a supportive hand on Sam's back when she saw him beginning to breathe a little oddly.

He did that when he was scared.

"You know, I don't know." The man said, "She's not here right now."

_How damn convenient. _

"Well, your son said she was." Dean said, Jake looking up at him.

"Did I?"

"She's getting groceries." The father replied, earning a half-glare, half-questioning look from Dean, "Listen, when Duane gets back, there's a number where he can get a hold of you?"

"Oh, no," Blaire replied, "We'll just check in with you later."

She didn't miss the twinkle in Jake's eye when she said that and both parties turned to leave, Dean sighing alongside his siblings as they headed down the steps that were decorated in greenery, the sight making Blaire smile a little as she passed the many plants that coated the porch.

"That was kinda creepy, right?" Dean asked, "Little too Stepford?"

"Bigtime." Sam replied, Blaire sighing and running a shaking hand through her hair.

"Come on..." She said, "Mission Impossible time, fellas."

The brothers raised eyebrows as she headed around the side of the house, suddenly dropping and walking low beneath the windows and peering through one to see a woman tied to a chair, Jake letting the blood from a wound in his arm drip onto her shoulder.

"Well...there's the mother..." She whispered, getting ready to load her gun.

She moved around to the back door, Dean and Sam following while she kicked the door in, everyone looking up in shock as she and her brothers marched in, armed and ready to kill.

_'Hell yeah...'_ Blaire thought as she stood looking at the family.

"PUT IT DOWN!" She yelled, the father approaching and getting several bullets from them, Jake taking off out the window whilst Sam couldn't catch him.

Blaire went to the poor mother and began to untie her, assuring her the best she could.

* * *

Blaire followed Sam as he led the poor woman into the local doctor's surgery, heading in and finding a blonde woman running towards him and the poor mother of Jake.

"Mrs. Tanner, what happened?" She asked, Blaire rubbing Sam's back reassuringly as he led the woman forward.

"She's been attacked." Sam explained, the blonde turning and calling for a doctor.

"Dr. Lee?"

Dr. Lee appeared, hair longer and darker than the other blonde, concern all over her face as she looked at Mrs. Tanner.

"It's okay." Sam assured the distraught woman as she let out a sob.

"Bring her in." The doctor instructed, Sam going in with Mrs. Tanner while Blaire waited for Dean, who was carrying the body of Mr. Tanner, "Hey, is that...?"

"Mr. Tanner?" Dean asked, "Yeah."

"Was he attacked too?" The doctor asked, Blaire huffing in response.

"No...actually, he did the attacking," She explained, "And then got himself shot."

"Shot?" Dr. Lee asked.

"Yeah." Dean replied, desperate to get the weight off of his shoulders.

"And who are you?" She asked.

"U.S. Marshal." Dean answered, "I'd show you my badge, but..."

"Oh, sorry..." Dr. Lee muttered, "Bring him back here."

* * *

Blaire couldn't listen to the poor woman's anguish as she told Dr. Lee about the attack, so she waited outside the room, sighing as she scrubbed her hands over her face. All of this was growing too much for everyone, and they were all so tired. She ran hands through her hair, rubbed her arms, patted her hands against her thighs, anything to calm down, but nothing was working. And that's when Sam and Dean appeared and beckoned her over.

"Those guys were whacked out of their gourds." Dean said, Sam and Blaire sighing in response.

"What do you think?" Sam asked, "Multiple demons?"

"Mass possession?" Blaire suggested.

"If it is a possession, there could be more..." Dean sighed, "God knows how many...it could be like a friggin' Shriner convention."

"Great." Sam whispered.

"That's one way to wipe out a town." Dean continued, Blaire scratching the back of her head and thinking as hard as she could for any possible explanation.

"Take it from the inside..." She said, "That's one of the best ways to do it, actually..."

"I don't know, guys." Sam replied, "We didn't see any demon smoke with Tanner, or any of the other usual signs."

Blaire's mind was screaming at her: _Disease! Disease! Disease! _Over and over and over again. It was like another voice was in her head and that made her feel even more crazy than she already did.

"Oh, well..." Blaire huffed, "Whatever. Something turned him into a monster."

"Y'know if you'd taken out the other one, there'd be one less to worry about." Dean said, Blaire and Sam turning with grimaces on their face, Blaire waiting for the fall out.

_Please don't argue again...please don't have another fight... _

"I'm sorry, alright?" Sam said, "I hesitated, Dean. It was a kid."

And he was right. It was a teenager that would've been shot and Blaire knew her brother well enough to know that a day wouldn't have gone by where that wouldn't have crossed his mind. She was glad he hadn't shot him...for now...

"No, it was an _it_." Dean replied, Blaire licking her lips in annoyance and putting her hand on her hip, the other going to her forehead, "Not the best time for a bleeding heart, Sam."

"Oh my God, would you just stop?" Blaire snapped, her brothers giving her a raised eyebrow each, "This isn't the time to argue, okay? A whole damn town could be at risk of termination here, and if you ask me, we shouldn't be arguing over something like this at all. We've gotta be focused on the problem, not a petty fight!"

That's when the doctor appeared and everyone turned.

"How's the patient?" Sam asked.

"Terrible." Dr. Lee replied, "What the hell happened out there?"

"We don't know." Blaire answered softly.

"You just killed my next door neighbour!" The doctor exclaimed.

"Well sorry, sweetheart, but we didn't have a choice." Blaire bit.

"Maybe, but we need the county sheriff." Dr. Lee said, "I need the coroner."

"Phones are down." Sam muttered.

"I know, I tried." Dr. Lee replied, "Tell me you got a police radio in the car."

"We do." Sam told her, "But it crapped out, just like everything else."

"I don't understand what's happening." Dr. Lee complained.

"How far to the next town?" Dean asked.

"About forty miles down to Sidewinder." The doctor replied.

"I'll go there, see if I can find some help." Dean said, "My partners will stick around, keep you guys safe."

"Safe from what?" The doctor asked, Dean stopping and looking at her.

"We'll get back to you on that."

* * *

Sam looked over at his sister as she sat deep in thought, wondering what on Earth was going on in her head. Blaire had been pretty shaken up since that encounter with the crossroads demon and the brothers had both become greatly concerned for her. They were sat in the same room as the body of Mr. Tanner and Dr. Lee, Sam moving closer to the body while Blaire seemed oblivious to all that was happening around her.

"Huh..." The doctor huffed, Blaire being snapped out of her thoughts and looking at the doctor.

"What?" Sam asked, neither he or his sister liking the concern on the doctor's face.

"His lymphocyte percentage is pretty high," She revealed, "His body was fighting off a viral infection."

_Disease! Disease! Disease! Disease! _

"Really?" Blaire asked, slightly panicked, "What kinda virus are we talking about?"

"Can't say for sure..." Dr. Lee replied.

"Think an infection could've made him act like that?" Sam asked.

"None that I've ever heard of." Dr. Lee replied, both Winchesters frankly terrified by what they were hearing, "I mean, some can cause dementia, but certainly not that kind of violence. Besides, I've never heard of one that did this to the blood."

"Did what?" Blaire asked.

"There's this weird residue..." The doctor answered, "If I didn't know better, I'd say it was sulfur."

Sam looked at Blaire a little wide-eyed, Blaire licking her lips nervously and nodding. Demons. Sulfur equals demons.

"Sulfur." Sam breathed, the worry clear on his face.

Blaire sighed as she gazed at her poor baby brother, wishing that they didn't have to keep up their pretense and that she could just go and hug the poor guy. He was truly freaked. Sam was never scared like he was now, and Blaire hated it when he was afraid. She despised it. She remembered when he was five and he'd had a bad dream, he'd gone and curled up in bed beside her, trembling and crying like he'd suffered the most horrendous experience ever. Blaire felt pain when her brother was worried or upset and this horrible ache in her chest was one she hoped and prayed would soon go away.

* * *

"I don't understand..." Mrs Tanner breathed, "Are you saying my husband and Jake had a disease?"

"That's what we're trying to find out..." Dr. Lee explained.

_"Shit..."_ Blaire thought, _"I knew it...I fucking knew it..." _

"Now, during the attack, do you remember...?" Dr. Lee began, "Did you have any direct contact with their blood?"

"Oh my God..." Mrs Tanner breathed, "You don't think I've got this virus, do you?"

"Beverly...I don't know what to think..." The doctor replied sadly, "But with your permission, we'll take a blood sample."

Mrs Tanner nodded and patted the doctor's hand, Sam and Blaire sharing looks of concern before Blaire scrubbed a hand over her face, patting Sam's shoulder gently as she did what older sisters do best. She tried to reassure her baby brother all she could through that one touch.

That's when Mrs Tanner turned on the doctor, Sam and Blaire leaping into action and going to save Dr. Lee. Sam was thrown back into a wall while Blaire ducked an incoming strike from Mrs Tanner who had a scalpel now in her hand. She rolled out of the way, grabbing an oxygen tank and slamming it over the older woman's head, sending her crashing to the ground.

"Fuck..." She breathed, lower lip trembling as she turned to Sam who pulled her into a hug, "You okay?"

"I'm fine..." Sam replied, "Dr. Lee?"

"I'm good." Dr. Lee replied, returning to her work whilst Blaire went and pressed herself against a wall.

She was worried sick about Dean.

A little while later the room had fallen into uncomfortably edgy silence, the young blonde breaking it with an understandable notion.

"What if we all have it?" She asked, "What if we all go crazy?"

"You've gotta stay calm." Dr. Lee told her, "All we can do is wait. The marshal's bringing help."

"I can't, I...no, I've gotta go." The young woman said, Blaire standing up to protest.

"Pam..."

"No, you don't understand!" Pam replied, "My boyfriend's out there. I gotta make sure he's okay..."

Sam shot up after her, Blaire sighing and looking at Dr. Lee.

"What are we dealing with?" Dr. Lee asked, "I mean...truthfully, what do you think we're dealing with?"

"I don't know." Blaire replied tearfully, "It could have gone further than the centre...we don't know how many people have this virus, and more importantly we can't tell who has it and who doesn't..."

The rumbling sound made Blaire's head snap up and she raced out towards the door.

"Blaire! Sammy! Open up!" Came Dean's distressed voice, Blaire opening the door and gasping as she saw her brother.

"DEAN!" She cried, grabbing him and holding him tight, "Oh my God!"

She saw him with another man who followed them in, and she locked the door.

"Did you guys get to a phone?"

"Roadblock." Dean breathed, turning to the man they saw earlier, "I'm gonna have a word. Doc's inside."

"Alright." The man replied, heading towards the doctor's office while Blaire beckoned Sam over.

"What's going on out there, Dean?" Sam asked, Dean spreading his arms out in exasperation.

"I don't know." He replied, "I feel like Chuck Heston in _The Omega Man_. The sarge is the only sane person I could find! What are we dealing with? You know?"

"Yeah." Blaire breathed, "Doc thinks it's a virus."

"Okay, great." Dean replied, "What do you think?"

"I think she's right." Blaire told him, Sam nodding in agreement.

"Really?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, and I think the infected are trying to infect others with blood-to-blood contact." Blaire replied, "Oh, but it gets better."

"The virus leaves traces of sulfur in the blood." Sam continued.

"A demonic virus?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, more like demonic germ warfare." Sam said, "At least it explains why I've been having visions."

Dean looked worried and jumped a little as Blaire slid their hands together, gripping her older brother's tightly out of plain fear. She was terrified, truth be told.

"It's like a Biblical plague." Dean breathed.

"Yeah." She said tearfully, "You don't know how right you are, Dean."

"Hey..." Dean said softly, wiping a tear away that fell down her cheek, "We're all here together...it's okay...well...for now it is."

"I've been poring through Dad's journal." Blaire revealed, "Found something about the Roanoke colony."

"And...?" Dean asked.

"Dad always had a theory about Croatoan." Blaire explained, "He thought is was a demon's name, sometimes known as Dever or Reshef...a demon of plague and pestilence."

"Well, that's terrific." Dean huffed, "Why here? Why now?"

"I have no idea." Blaire replied sadly, "But, guys...I mean, who knows how far this thing can spread..."

"We gotta get people out of here." Sam breathed, "We gotta warn people..."

"They've got one." A voice yelled, "In here!"

Dean's head snapped up and the siblings headed towards the doc's office.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"The wife..." Blaire answered, "She's infected."

"We gotta take care of this." The sarge said, "We can't just leave her in there. My neighbours...they were strong. The longer we wait, the stronger she'll get."

The siblings shared looks before Dean pulled his gun out and cocked it, Blaire gasping at how easily he'd made that decision before all of them followed.

* * *

"You're gonna kill Beverly Tanner." Pam exclaimed.

"Doctor, could there be any treatment?" Sam asked, "Some kind of cure for this?"

"Can you cure it?" Blaire asked.

"For God's sake! I don't even know what it is!" Dr. Lee panicked.

"I told you, it's a matter of time before she breaks through." The sarge replied.

"Just leave her there!" Pam pleaded, "You can't shoot her like an animal!"

"Sam. Blaire." Dean said, moving closer to the door with the sarge.

Sam braced himself to open the door, Blaire standing determined, even with tears in her eyes. He always admired her for being able to keep her mind on the job and this was what she was doing. But to Sam's horror, as he looked at her, he looked at Dean and saw the exact same person.

It made his blood run cold to think that Blaire was growing more and more like Dean, becoming colder towards people and more set on the job than caring about the people they deal with. He got ready, the sarge, Dean and Blaire bracing themselves to shoot Mrs Tanner before they were infected themselves.

"Mark, what are you doing?" Came the voice of Mrs Tanner, the sarge - no - Mark stopping in his tracks, "Mark, it's them...they locked me in here...they tried to kill me!"

"Don't listen to her, Mark." Blaire whispered, "We watched her attack Dr. Lee with our own eyes...she's not telling the truth."

"They're infected! Not me!" Mrs Tanner cried, "Please, Mark."

Dean watched warily, watching Mark's heart break at the sight of this poor woman.

"You've known me all your life! Please!"

"You sure she's one of 'em?" Dean asked, Blaire and Sam glaring at the evil thing in the corner at that point.

"Yeah." Sam replied, Dean stepping forward and just blasting Beverly Tanner three times in the head.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for all the support so far! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Fifteen**

Darkness had fallen over the small town, Mark watching through the blinds as another person joined the two who stood staring at the clinic. It was the freakiest thing he'd ever laid his eyes on, but he turned as he watched Dean, Sam and Blaire loading up. Blaire sharpened her knife, tears of weariness and worry in her eyes as she did, pressing close to Dean out of instinct.

She had to remain strong for the others and she was doing brilliantly, the brothers thought. She loaded her shotgun, strapping belts of ammo to her chest and loading her handguns, placing those in the belt on her jeans which she tightened before loading her Springfield rifle.

There was a smash, everyone looking up and heading towards the source of the noise while poor Pam screamed.

"Oh God! Is there any in me?" She asked in a panic, "Am I okay?"

"You're clean," Dr. Lee assured her, "You're okay."

The siblings entered the room to see what had happened.

"Why are we staying here?" Pam asked, "Please, let's just go!"

"No, we can't." Dean said, "'Cause those things are everywhere."

"Oh, God..." Pam breathed, the doctor soothing her whilst the siblings and Mark turned to each other.

"She's right about one thing," Blaire sighed, "We can't stay here. We gotta get out to the Roadhouse or somewhere...let people know what's coming."

"That's a good point." Dean replied, "_Night of the Living Dead _didn't exactly end pretty..."

"I'm not sure we got a choice." Mark said, "Folks up here are good with rifles. Even with all your hardware, we're easy targets. So unless you got some explosives..."

Sam grimaced at his siblings, spotting the chemicals that rested above a metal overhead cabinet.

"We could make some..." He suggested, a sound of knocking and screaming distracting them.

"Hey! Let me in! Let me in, please!"

"It's Duane Tanner!" Mark exclaimed, going to open the door.

"Oh, thank God..." Duane breathed as he was let inside, Dean, Sam and Blaire watching as Mark just let him in.

"That's the guy that I..." Dean began.

"Yeah." Sam replied.

"Who else is in here?" Duane asked, Dean grabbing his arm.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, chief."

The doctor watched a little uneasy as the scene unfolded before her.

"Hey, doc. Give Duane a good once-over, would you?" Dean asked, everyone heading into the doctor's office.

"Pam?" Dr. Lee called, getting no immediate response.

"Who are you?" Duane asked, Dean keeping a good eye on him.

"Never mind who I am." He replied, "Doc?"

"Yeah, okay." Dr. Lee replied.

"Duane, where you been?" Mark asked.

"I was on a fishing trip up by Roslyn." Duane replied, "I came back this afternoon. I saw Roger McGill being dragged out of his house by people we know. They started cutting him with knives."

Pam listened as she took medical supplies out of a cabinet.

"I ran. I've been hiding in the woods ever since." Duane continued, "Has anybody seen my mom and dad?"

"Awkward." Dean breathed as he looked to his siblings.

"You're bleeding." Dr. Lee said as she spotted a cut on his knee.

"Where'd you get that." Blaire asked.

"I was running. I must've tripped." Duane replied Dean taking a quick breath.

"Tie him up." He instructed, "There's rope in there."

"Wait." Duane protested, Blaire and Dean pulling their guns on him.

"Sit down!" Dean ordered, Mark turning to him.

"Sorry, Duane. He's right." He said, "We gotta be careful."

"Careful?" Duane asked, "About what?"

Sam looked worried and Blaire knew he was terrified. His vision was happening right before him and the pain and fear were clear in his eyes.

"Did they bleed on you?" Blaire asked.

"No. What the hell?" Duane replied, "No!"

"Doc? Anyway to know for sure?" Sam asked, "Any test?"

"I've studied Beverly's blood work backwards and forwards." Dr. Lee replied.

"My mom?" Duane asked, clearly concerned.

"It took three hours for the virus to incubate." Dr. Lee told them, "The sulfur didn't appear in the blood until then so...no...there'd be no way of knowing. Not until after Duane turns."

"Dean, Blaire, I gotta talk to you." Sam breathed, "Now."

The siblings headed into the waiting room, Sam grabbing Blaire's arm.

"This is my vision, guys." He breathed, "It's happening."

"Yeah, we figured," Blaire said softly.

"You can't kill him, alright?" Sam told them, looking at Dean when he said it, "Not yet. We don't know if he's infected or not."

"Oh, I think we're damn sure." Dean replied, "Guy shows up out of nowhere. Got a cut on his leg, his whole family's infected..."

"Alright, then we should keep him tied up and wait and see." Sam said.

"For what? For him to hulk out?" Dean asked, "Infect somebody else? No thanks, can't take that chance."

He went to move but Sam stopped him, Blaire running a shaking hand through her hair.

"Hey, look, man, I'm not happy about this." Dean said, "It's a tough job. You know that."

"It's supposed to be tough, Dean!" Sam spat, "We're supposed to struggle with this, that's the point."

"What does it buy us?" Dean asked.

"A clear conscience, for one!" Sam said with exasperation.

"Well, its too late for that." Dean replied.

"What the hell's happened to you?" Sam asked.

"What?" Dean replied.

"You might kill an innocent man, and you don't even care."

"Sammy, that's enough." Blaire said, Sam actually pushing her away.

"You don't act like yourself anymore." Sam continued, "You know what? You're acting like one of those things out there."

No-one expected what happened after. Blaire had absolutely had enough and nobody pushed her around, especially not the boy she helped raise as a child. She pulled out her handgun and shot the full round into the ceiling, the brothers looking at her with shock as she stared at them with tears in her eyes.

"ENOUGH!" She cried, "That's enough!"

She loaded her gun again and Dean passed Sam, heading for the room and locking the door.

"DEAN!" Blaire sobbed, banging on the door, "Open this fucking door, right now!"

"Don't do it, Dean!" Sam yelled, "Don't!"

They watched Dean open the door and Blaire collapsed where she stood, just putting her hands to her head and going to cover her ears. She sat waiting and waiting and waiting...but the shot didn't come. The door opened and Dean shook his head, putting his gun away and kneeling beside his distraught sister. Sam could barely look at him, but he didn't care right now.

"Blaire, come on..." He said softly, pulling her up and hugging her to his body, "Come on, it's okay."

She barely made a sound as he held her, she just shook in his arms, gripping on to him and tightly.

* * *

"It's been over four hours." Dr. Lee said, entering the room where all three Winchesters sat making explosives, "Duane's blood is still clean. I don't think he's infected. I'd like to untie him, if that's alright."

Dean and Sam looked at each other, then at Blaire, who reached over and squeezed Dean's hand just once. Dean nodded to Sam who looked at the doctor.

"Sure...yeah." He looked to Dean, "You know I'm gonna ask you why."

"Yeah, I know." Dean replied.

"So, why?" Sam asked, "Why didn't you do it?"

Dean just coughed uncomfortably and wouldn't look at his siblings.

"We need more alcohol."

Sam just sighed and went to get some, the sounds of attack soon following which alerted everyone. Blaire kicked the door in and saw Pam above her brother, shooting the woman multiple times in the head. She and Dean went to help Sam up, but Mark stopped them.

"She bled on him..." He said, "He's got the virus."

Blaire and Dean's hearts stopped as they stared at their baby brother, tears filling Blaire's eyes as she looked at Sam who was so scared it hurt her to see. She looked at Dean who gave her a look of such pain her chest tightened.

* * *

"Doctor, check his wound again, would you?" Dean asked, Blaire sat with her head in her hands and rocking a little on the spot, "Doctor!"

"What does she need to examine him for?" Mark asked, "You saw what happened!"

"Did her blood actually enter your wound?" The doctor asked.

"Come on, of course it did!" Mark yelled.

"We don't know for that for sure." Dean replied.

"Can't take a chance." Mark said, "You know what we have to do."

"Nobody shoots my brother." Dean snapped.

"He's not gonna be your brother much longer." Duane said, "You said it yourself."

"Nobody's shooting!" Dean bit.

"You were gonna shoot me!" Duane bit back.

"You don't shut your pie hole, I still might!" Dean threatened, Sam's weak voice breaking the silence.

"Dean, they're right..." He said, "I'm infected. Give me the gun and I'll do it."

"Forget it." Dean said.

"I won't become one of those things." Sam protested.

"Sam, we've still got some time."

"For what?" Mark asked, "Look, I understand he's your brother. I'm sorry, I gotta take care of this."

"You put on measly hand on him, and I swear to God, I will blow your brains out right here, right now."

Everyone looked at Blaire who was now standing, pointing a gun at Mark and Duane.

"One move on him and you'll be dead before you hit the ground, is that clear?" She growled, making everyone in the room nervous.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Mark asked, Dean throwing the keys to him.

"Get the hell outta here." He said, "Take my car. You got the explosives. There's an arsenal in there. You two go with him, you got enough firepower to handle anything now."

"What about you?" Mark asked, "Or her?"

Blaire put her gun in her waistband and held Dean's hand, both of them giving Mark looks which made him sigh.

"Guys...no...no!" Sam replied, "Go with them, this is your only chance!"

"Not gonna get rid of us that easy." Dean said, Mark shaking his head.

"No, he's right, man. Come with us."

He got no response and Blaire actually sat by her baby brother, pressing a kiss to his temple and taking his hand.

"Okay...your funeral."

They left, Blaire smiling weakly at Sam and checking his wound.

"Wish we had a deck of cards or a Foosball table or something." Dean said as he locked the door, turning to his tearful siblings.

"Guys, don't do this..." Sam breathed, "Just get the hell outta here."

"No way." Blaire replied, Sam so tearful it broke her heart.

"Give me my gun and leave." Sam pleaded, Dean giving him a look straight in the eyes.

"For the last time, Sam, no."

Sam was so angry he slammed his icepack on the table.

"This is the dumbest thing you've ever done." He breathed, Blaire going to stand with Dean who put an arm around her.

"We're tired, Sam." Blaire whispered, pulling out her gun, "If you're gone...there's nothing left for us."

"Yes there is!" Sam protested, "You have each other! Bobby! Ellen! Jo...Ash, even!"

"We're tired of this job..." Dean said, "This life. This weight on our shoulders, man, we're tired of it."

"So, what? So you're just gonna give up?" Sam asked, "I mean, you're just gonna lay down and die...both of you? Guys, I know the stuff with Dad had..."

"You're wrong." Dean growled, "It's not about Dad. I mean part of it is, sure..."

"Then what is it about...?" Sam asked.

The knock on the door came, everyone turning to see the doctor standing there with an almost happy look on her face.

"You'd better come and see this..."

The siblings headed outside to find the place deserted.

"There's no-one...not anywhere..." Dr. Lee breathed, "They've all just vanished..."

* * *

"Well...it's been five hours and your blood's still clean." The doctor told Sam, Blaire and Dean breathing sighs of relief, "I don't understand it, but you dodged a bullet."

"But I was exposed," Sam breathed, "How could I not be infected?"

"I don't know, but you're just not." Dr. Lee replied, "I mean, when you compare it with the Tanners' samples...what the hell?"

"What?" Sam asked.

"Their blood..." Dr. Lee whispered, "There's no trace of the virus. No sulfur...nothing."

Blaire smiled, moving towards Sam and embracing him in a warm hug, pressing kisses to his temple and cheek.

"God, baby bro..." She whispered, "Thought we'd lost you for a minute..."

"Let me tell you...I'm gonna lose some sleep over this one." Dean said, patting Sam's shoulder.

The siblings headed onto the road, into the car and away, Blaire closing her eyes and smiling wider than she had in a long time.

_"Lost and alone on some forgotten highway  
Travelled by many, remembered by few...  
Looking for something that I can believe in  
Looking for something that I'd like to do with my life..." _

Dean and Sam shared looks, not saying a word and just listening to their sister.

_"There's nothing behind me and nothing that ties me  
To something that might have been true yesterday.  
There's a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me,  
If my life is worth the living, I don't need to see the end..." _

They smiled at the choice of song. The sound of Blaire's voice was sweet and one they didn't want to forget in a long time.

_"Sweet, sweet surrender  
Live, live without care,  
Like a fish in the water,  
Like a bird in the air..." _

They were going to make the best of what they got out of life from now on. They had to for themselves and each other, and Blaire opened her eyes and looked at her brother with the sweetest smile, golden locks messy and face still a little tear-streaked.

"Love you both."

"We love you too." Dean replied.

"Love you too, Blaire." Sam added, Blaire snuggling down and closing her eyes for a well earned sleep.

* * *

Blaire had noticed a heated argument going on between her brothers, feeling a familiar presence beside her.

"Hey, sweetie." John whispered, Blaire leaning into the feel of him by her side.

"Hey, Daddy."

"Dean's just told Sam the truth..." John said, "Just brace yourself for the uncomfortable atmosphere."

"Oh, I've had plenty of experience with those." Blaire chuckled, "Dad, how did Sam not get infected?"

"I don't know, sweet pea. I don't know at all." John replied, "Just glad you all got out okay."

"So am I."

John's spirit disappeared when Sam and Dean approached the car, Blaire knowing that the truth had come out and that Sam hadn't taken it well.

* * *

"Come on, Ellen, please!" Dean begged as he and Blaire sped down the highway, desperate to find Sam, "Something bad could be going on here, and we both swore we'd look after that kid."

_"Now, Dean, they say you can't protect your loved ones forever." _Ellen replied, _"Well, I say screw that. What else is family for? He's in Lafayette, Indiana." _

"Thanks." Dean replied, hanging up and patting Blaire's leg, "Got him. Lafayette, Indiana."

"Thank God..." Blaire breathed, Dean putting his foot down and speeding towards there, "So you told him the truth..."

"Yeah." Dean replied, "Didn't take it too well though."

"I figured." Blaire huffed, swigging from her hip-flask and sighing, "Dean...Dean, I love you, you know that, don't you."

"'Course I do, sweetie." Dean replied, "Y'know...I, uh..."

Dean flushed a little and bit his lip.

"Love you too."

Blaire laughed and Dean turned on the radio, both of them heading straight for Indiana...straight to Sam.

* * *

"Thank God you're okay..." Dean breathed as he and Sam spotted Sam in a motel room in Indiana, "Oh, you're better than okay...Sam, you sly dog..."

"What?" Blaire asked, spotting the woman in the room with him before chuckling, "Bad boy..."

They got out of the car, Blaire immediately sensing that something was wrong.

"Dean..." She ducked by the car, Dean following her before they reached a wall, "Look..."

Gordon. It was Gordon! The same Gordon that they'd taken out a few months back with the vampires. They followed him, watching him lining up with a sniper rifle to shoot Sam and the girl he was with. Well. No-one, and I mean no-one fucks around with Blaire and Dean Winchester's baby brother and they both jumped him, beating him black and blue to the best of their ability. He threw Blaire away, hitting Dean with his gun before then taking out Blaire too.

Blaire's eyes fluttered shut as the unconsciousness enveloped her, her last word being the breathing of her brother's name.

-TBC-

* * *

**Ooooh, cliffy! **

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for reading! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Sam, we've been looking for you." Dean said, Gordon holding the cell phone to his ear whilst Blaire struggled against her bonds.

_"Yeah, look...I'm in Indiana," _Sam replied, _"Lafayette..." _

"We know." Dean said.

_"You do?" _Sam asked.

"Yeah, we talked to Ellen..." Dean told him, "We just got here ourselves..."

Blaire sighed as a tear fell down her face. More damn tears.

"Yeah...it's a real funky town." Dean said, Blaire having to hide her smile from Gordon.

Their danger word had just been sent to Sam. Help was gonna be coming and soon, and Blaire was glad because she really needed to pee.

"You ditched us, Sammy." Dean continued.

_"Yeah...I'm sorry..." _Sam replied, the tone of his voice letting Dean know he got the danger word, _"Uh...right now there's someone after me." _

"What? Who?" Dean asked.

_"I don't know." _Sam answered, _"That's what we need to find out. Where are you?" _

"We're staying at 5637 Monroe Street." Dean said, "Why don't you meet us here?"

_"Yeah, sure." _Sam replied, hanging up while Gordon hung up for Dean.

"You're a fucking bastard, you know that?" Blaire spat, Dean shooting her a warning look while Gordon just ignored her.

"Now, was that so hard?" He asked, Dean smirking at Blaire before replying.

"Bite me." Dean replied, sighing as Gordon went over to get something out of a cabinet, "Gordy. I know me, Blaire and Sam ain't exactly your favourite people, but...don't you think this is a little extreme?"

"What, you think this is revenge?" Gordon asked.

"We did kinda leave you tied up in your own mess for three days," Blaire said, "Which was awesome...I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh."

"Yeah." Gordon replied, "I was planning on whooping your asses for that...especially yours, sweetheart. That's not what this is. This isn't personal."

"Whatever." Blaire mumbled under her breath.

"I'm not a killer, guys." Gordon told them, "I'm a hunter. And your brother's fair game."

"YOU BASTARD!" Blaire yelled, Gordon turning and walking towards her, slapping her face so hard that Dean winced at both sight and sound of it.

"Gordon, you get your damn hands off her." He growled, "Do what the hell you want with me, just don't touch Blaire."

That's when Gordon put his hands on Blaire's face, kissing her lips forcefully.

"It's not about you, Blairey-Baby." He said with a smirk, Dean fighting against his bonds to get to his sister.

"Maybe not, boy, but I swear to God that when I get out of this chair, I am going to _kill _you." She bit, "Do you understand?"

Dean had to admire his baby sister's determination even though he realised she probably knew they weren't getting out of the chairs in a hurry anyway.

* * *

"See, I was doing an exorcism down in Louisiana," Gordon droned as he sat in front of Blaire and Dean, "Teenage girl. Seemed routine, some low-level demon. But between all the jabbering and the head-spinning damn thing muttered something. About a coming war."

Blaire's heart stopped beating and she stopped breathing for a minute. This is exactly what her mother had warned her about, what had bitten her so hard and so deeply that she'd been forced to put it to the back of her mind for as long as she could, yet here it was. That big ugly worry was resurfacing the poor girl had to try and not cry. She couldn't tell Dean and Sam. She'd promised that she wouldn't tell Dean and Sam.

"And I don't think it meant to." Gordon continued, "It just kinda slipped out, but it was too late. Piqued my interest. And you can really make a demon talk, if you got the right tools."

"Vicious asshole." Blaire muttered, sighing as she ran over every thought in her head over and over again.

"What happened to the girl it was possessing?" Dean asked, expression solemn as he looked across at Gordon.

"She didn't make it." Gordon answered, Dean and Blaire shaking their heads.

"Well, you're a son of a bitch." Dean breathed, Gordon standing up and smacking Dean around the face.

"That's my mama you're talking about." Gordon said, he and Dean both chuckling in response, "Anyway, this demon tells me they have soldiers to fight in this coming war. Humans, fighting on hell's side. Do you believe that? I mean, they're psychics, so they're not exactly pure humans but still...what kind of worthless scumbag you gotta be to turn against your own race? But you know the biggest kick in the ass? This demon said I knew one of 'em. Our very own Sammy Winchester."

Dean actually chuckled while Blaire just ground her teeth.

"Oh, this is..." Dean began, "This is a whole new level of moronic, even for you."

"Yeah." Gordon replied, "Come on, Dean. I know...about Sam's visions. I know everything."

"Really?" Blaire asked, "Because a demon told you? Yeah and it wasn't lying."

"Hey, Blaire. I'm not some reckless yahoo, okay?" Gordon replied, "I did my homework. Made damn sure it was true. Look, you got your Roadhouse connections...I got mine. That's how I found Sammy in the first place."

Blaire looked to Dean and sent him a vibe that told the older Winchester that she was incredibly pissed and that she would no doubt find out and kill whichever bastard let Sam's name slip. Could be Jo, especially after the whole thing with John causing her dad's death. Gordon trudged over the dusty floor, sitting in a chair, his rifle against his right thigh as he sat.

"About a month ago, I found another one of these freaks, here in town." Gordon said, his voice starting to grate very easily on Blaire's ever wearing nerves, "He could deep-fry a person just by touching them."

"Yeah, did he kill anyone?" Dean asked.

"Well, besides Mr. Tinkles, the cat?" Gordon countered, "No. But he was working up to it. They're all gonna be killers, guys. We gotta take them all out. And that means Sammy too."

"You think Sam's stupid enough to go to the front door?" Dean asked, Blaire biting her lip and wishing her brother hadn't just asked that.

"No, I don't." Gordon said, "Especially since I'm sure you found a way to warn him."

He let out a short laugh.

"You really think I'm that stupid?" He asked.

Dean just smirked at him while Blaire glared as hard as she could, even though she knew that nothing would come of it really. Gordon stood.

"No." He said, "Sammy's gonna scope the place first."

Blaire wished that this fucker would just stop calling Sam 'Sammy'. Sam Winchester wasn't Sammy to anyone but Dean, Blaire and Bobby, and that was like a law.

"He'll see me covering the front door," Gordon carried on, "So he's gonna take the back."

The glint in the other hunter's eye made Blaire and Dean nervous, both unsure of what was to come.

"And when he does, he'll hit the tripwire." Gordon said, Blaire gasping as tears filled her eyes, "Then..."

He pulled out a detonator from his bag and smirked a little.

"Boom."

"Sam's not gonna fall for a frigging tripwire," Dean said.

"Maybe you're right." Gordon replied, "That's why I'll have a second one."

Dean looked up at Gordon, Blaire looking up too and recoiling as he knelt before her.

"Hey, look," He said, stroking her cheek and wiping falling tears away, "I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to do this, I really do."

Dean's eyes were glistening with the hints of tears and his expression was one of slowly induced anger, Blaire's one of anger, horror, frustration and hate all at once.

"But for what it's worth," Gordon had the nerve to say, "It'll be quick."

He walked away, Blaire and Dean sharing looks of pure grief as they stared at each other. They'd almost lost Sam once already and they weren't willing to again. Sam was a smart kid...he wouldn't fall for tripwires, surely? He'd know what was coming, right? Blaire bowed her head and sighed, closing her eyes and beginning to pray.

* * *

It was dark and cold, and both Blaire and Dean watched as Gordon set up the tripwires. Blaire shivered in her seat, constantly praying that Sam would be safe, reciting hymns in her head, anything she knew. She prayed to her parents, to anyone that could help to keep Sam safe.

"Hey, come on, man." Dean said, "We know, Sam, okay? Better than anyone!"

"He's got more of a conscience than we do." Blaire added, looking at Gordon as he sat on a chair between them, "The guy feels guilty for surfing the internet for porn!"

"Maybe you're right..." Gordon said, "But one day, he's gonna be a monster."

"How?" Blaire asked with exasperation, "Huh? How's a guy like Sam become a monster?"

"Beat's me...but he will." Gordon replied.

"No, you don't know that!" Dean protested, Gordon looking his way.

"I'm surprised at you, Dean," He said, "Getting all emotional."

"Hey." Blaire warned, "Back the fuck off..."

"I'd heard you were more of a professional than this." Gordon said, Blaire grimacing as she knew Dean was getting upset.

"Hey! This is our brother, you fucking jackass!"

"Look, let's say you were cruising around in that car of yours, Dean." Gordon said, "And you had little Hitler riding shotgun, right? Back when he was just some goofy crappy artist. But you knew what he was gonna turn into someday. You'd take him out. No questions. Am I right?"

"That's not Sam." Dean replied.

"Yes, it is." Gordon retorted, "You just can't see it yet."

There was a pause.

"Dean...it's his destiny..." Gordon continued, "Look, I'm sympathetic. He's your brother. You both love the guy. This has gotta hurt like hell for the two of you. But here's the thing."

He grabbed a scarf and tied it around Blaire's mouth, the young woman screaming in response which made Dean's chest hurt on its own.

"It would've wrecked him." He continued, proceeding to tie one around Dean's too, "But your dad...if it really came right down to it, he'd have the stones to do the right thing here. Are you telling me...you're not the hunters he was."

Dean and Blaire watched with anger, emotion and pure fright as Gordon got up and walked away, the two knowing that Sam was close by. Then the sound of the picking lock came and Gordon looked towards the back door, Blaire closing her eyes and praying so hard she thought her head would burst.

"You hear him?" Gordon asked, "Here he comes..."

Blaire squeezed her eyes tightly shut, nothing in her head but her own words of prayer, the images of Sam's body being blasted apart and the sound of her heartbeat, pulse and the rushing of blood as it all raced to a huge crescendo. That's when the explosion went off, Blaire screaming through her bonds as she and Dean both broke into sobs,

"Hold on..." Gordon said, "Not yet...just wait and see..."

Then came the second explosion and Blaire screamed again, tears streaming down her face as she closed her eyes, praying that Sam had somehow survived before sharing a look of pure anguish with her older brother who was in tears himself.

"Sorry, guys." Gordon breathed, heading to check out the remains of his handiwork.

The two older Winchester siblings struggled against the bonds, both looking up as they heard a familiar voice.

"Put the gun down now!"

_Sammy! _He was okay! He was alive! Then came the grunts, Dean and Blaire knowing that Gordon and their brother were fighting. Soon enough, Sam staggered in, a little punch-drunk before untying Dean, who checked him over straight away, the two of them untying Blaire who flew straight into their arms, tears of overdue stress, fear, worry and relief flooded her system. She gripped them both tightly, kissing them and holding them both before looking up at her baby brother.

"Jesus, Sammy!" She cried, "We thought we'd lost you!"

"Listen, you need to come outside now..." Sam said tiredly, "Gordon's taken care of...come on..."

They walked out of the building, hearing the shot of a gun and sprinting away.

"Shit!" Dean cried, "Run!"

All of them sprinted as fast as they could as Gordon fired shot after shot, bullet after bullet.

"You call this 'taken care of'?" Blaire cried, the three of them jumping down a grass verge, Blaire slipping a little only to be caught by Dean.

"What the hell are we doing?" He asked, holding Blaire to him like there was no tomorrow.

"Just trust me on this, alright..." Sam replied, the three of them watching as multiple cop cars pulled up, surrounding Gordon who just dropped straight to his knees.

The siblings grinned at each other, Blaire moving closer to Sam and embracing him in a warm, loving hug.

"Sam..."

"I know..." Sam soothed, "I know...anonymous tip."

Dean just looked at his brother with nothing but admiration, Blaire pressing a loving kiss to Sam's cheek, being careful not to hit any cuts or bruising as she did.

"You're a fine, upstanding citizen, Sam." Dean said, the siblings watching as Gordon was arrested.

* * *

The siblings were in Peoria, Illinois, Sam just getting off the phone to Ellen whilst looking back at the missing persons report on Ava Wilson, the girl who Sam had been with back in Lafayette. Blaire was trying on a new shirt, posing in the mirror with it on. Dean entered the room, smiling at how lovely his sister looked in green.

"Brings out your eyes, gorgeous." He said softly, Blaire smiling sweetly at him.

"Thanks, handsome." She replied, turning to reveal a new pair of jeans as well as a pair of bright blue and green stripy socks.

She looked damn adorable, what with her curls hanging gracefully over her shoulders, a little shorter after she'd stopped for a quick haircut and now easier to manage since they reached just past her shoulders. She looked so like Mary it was unreal.

"What'd Ellen have to say?" Dean asked.

"She got nothing." Sam sighed, turning and smiling at Blaire, "Yeah, greens definitely a good colour for you."

"Thanks, sweetie." Blaire replied, sitting on the bed with her legs crossed as she brushed her newly cut locks.

"Me...I've been checking every database I could think of: federal, state and local," Sam said, "No-one's heard anything about Ava...she just...into thin air, y'know. Oh! And Blaire's been modelling her new clothing and haircut."

"Oh, I thought it looked a little shorter," Dean smiled, "Suits you."

"You boys are so sweet." Blaire replied, "Gimme a coffee."

"What about you?" Sam asked his brother, Dean shaking his head.

"Nothing. Same as before." Dean said, "Sorry, man."

"Yeah..." Sam replied, "Ellen did have one thing."

Dean and Blaire looked up with interest, Blaire hissing at the heat of her coffee.

"A hotel in Cornwall, Connecticut..." Sam began, "Two freak accidents in the past three weeks."

"Yeah, what's that have to do with Ava?" Dean asked.

"It's a job..." Sam replied, "I mean, a lady drowned in the bathtub...then a few days ago, a guy falls down the stairs, head turns a complete one-eighty."

Blaire began to sing the theme song to _The Exorcist_ and Dean chuckled, taking in how that green shirt brought out the green of her gorgeous eyes.

"I guess that isn't exactly normal, huh?" She said, the others nodding.

"Look, I don't know, guys, it might be nothing..." Sam said, "But I told Ellen we'd think about checking it out."

"You did?" Dean asked, sitting on the same bed as his sister who he'd have to bunk in with that night.

"Yeah." Sam replied, the brothers exchanging uncomfortable looks, "You seem surprised."

"Well yeah, it's just...y'know..." Dean began, "Not the patented Sam Winchester way, is it?"

"What way is that?" Sam asked.

"Just figured after Ava, there'd be, y'know...more angst and droopy music..." Dean replied, "And staring out the rainy windows..."

"Christ, he's not seventeen with dark clothes and a crush on a cheerleader..." Blaire laughed, "Holy hell..."

"Look, I'm the one that told her to go back home..." Sam said, "Now her fiance's dead...and some demon's taken her off to God knows where. Y'know? We've been looking for a month now...and we got nothing."

Sam took a deep breath and Blaire leaned on Dean a little, the older Winchester not minding his sister shuffling close for a bit of comfort.

"So I'm not giving up on her, but I'm not gonna let other people die either." The baby of the family continued, "We gotta save as many people as we can."

"We hear you, sweetie." Blaire said, taking Sam's hand and kissing it, "And we're with you all the way, alright?"

Sam nodded and leaned forward, hugging Blaire warmly and kissing her temple. He really loved his sister more than anything.

"I'm officially uncomfortable now..." Dean said with a jokey tone to his voice, "Thank you."

"Shut up, jerk." Blaire smiled.

"Shrimp."

"Jerk." Sam added.

"Bitch." Dean replied, the sibling chuckling at each other before sighing, "Alright, call Ellen...tell her we'll take it."

"Awww! Dean you're the best!" Blaire cried, kissing her brother's lips before emptying a bag of shopping onto the bed, "Check out my new clothes..."

"Good luck." Sam chuckled, leaving his siblings to talk about Blaire's new outfits, and Dean, like the devoted older brother he was, listened intently.

"Okay, so I got some pinks, purples and a few blues..." Blaire began, laying out her new shirts, t-shirts, tank tops and jeans, "Plenty of tank tops in plenty of different colours...t-shirts with graphics for sleeping, pyjama pants...underwear..."

"Wow..." Dean laughed, picking up a purple bra and panties set as well as a dark purple dress, a pair of purple shoes going to match, "When on earth will you get to wear these?"

"You never know." Blaire replied sadly, kissing Dean's cheek and snuggling up to her brother, "Okay, which shirt's your favourite."

Blaire always wore her shirts open, never fastened, and Dean smiled as they all lay co-ordinated with a tank-top, some with more than one underneath it.

"Okay...the pink and black always looks good on you..." He told her, "The green definitely...red, maybe not so much but definitely purple and blue...that okay?"

"Perfect." Blaire replied, sipping her coffee and packing her clothes away.

Dean smiled as he watched her neatly fold her clothes, running a hand through her newly cut hair.

"You really are like Mom...from as much as I can remember..." He told her, "I...uh...I love you."

"I love you too, Dean." Blaire smiled, kissing Dean's cheek and getting up to go to the bathroom.

Dean watched her leave, wondering how on earth he'd managed to get himself a sister like her.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for all the support so far! You guys are awesome! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Seventeen**

Blaire stood under the hot water of the shower, sighing as it cleansed her body of all the stress that had been plaguing her over the past few months. She began to hum some of her favourite road songs, smiling as she finished her shower, slipping on her black and blue girl-boxers, a blue tank-top and her black pyjama pants, heading out into the main room only to find Dean with no shirt on.

"If you're sharing a bed with me, my man, you're putting on a t-shirt." She said, picking one up and throwing it at her brother.

"Damn." He huffed, putting on the black t-shirt and climbing into the bed beside Blaire who was laying on her side.

Sam was snoring happily, but Blaire grunted in pain as Dean elbowed her in the neck.

"Ouch!" She hissed, "Watch it, Dean."

"Sorry, I can't help it." Dean grumbled, rolling over away from her and sighing in response, "Would it be easier to lay facing the same way?"

"I'm okay with that," Blaire replied, "As long as you don't have any dirty dreams...y'know, I am your sister after all and if you start...humping the mattress in your sleep like that time in Montana, I'm going to have to kick your ass..."

Dean chuckled and rolled over, kissing Blaire's cheek and settling down to sleep, Blaire watching Sam in his slumber before letting herself be overcome by sleep.

* * *

The Winchesters climbed out of the Impala, studying the hotel before them. They were now in Cornwall, Connecticut, finally here at the hotel which they'd found a little difficult to get to at first. It was beautiful, simply beautiful, with bay windows and covered in dark wood sliding, hedges surrounding it along with a black iron fence.

"Dude...this is sweet..." Dean breathed, "We never get to work jobs like this."

"Like what?" Sam asked, getting his backpack out of the car, Blaire grabbing her bags and slinging them over her shoulders.

"Old school haunted houses, y'know?" Dean replied, "Fog, secret passageways, sissy British accents..."

"Might even run into Fred and Daphne while we're inside, huh?" Blaire added, the others chuckling in response.

"Mmm...Daphne..." Dean said in a low voice, "Love her..."

"Perv." Blaire mumbled, Dean chuckling in response.

"Hey, wait a sec..." Sam said as the three headed up the stairs.

"I'm not so sure 'haunted's' the problem." Sam said.

"What do you mean?" Blaire asked, both her and Dean approaching their brother.

"You see this pattern here?" Sam asked, both his siblings nodding in response, "That's a quincunx. It's a five-spot."

"Five-spot?" Dean asked.

"Yeah..." Sam replied.

"That's used for Hoodoo spell work, right?" Blaire asked.

"Right." Sam replied, "Hey, you fill this thing with blood weed, you got a powerful charm to ward off enemies..."

"Yeah, I don't see any blood weed." Dean said, "Don't you think this place is a little too..."

"White meat for Hoodoo?" Blaire asked.

"Exactly." Dean replied.

"Maybe..." Sam said, the family heading inside.

Blaire gasped. The place was just beautiful, the walls panelled with dark wood along with the floor, lamps softly lighting the place as well as the light through the window.

"May I help you?"

A woman with dark blonde-brown hair came from another room, heading to the front desk.

"Hi." Blaire replied, "Yeah, I'd like a room for a couple of nights, please..."

Two little girls came out of nowhere, both running through and bumping to Sam before continuing to sprint.

"Sorry about that..." The woman said.

"No problem." Sam replied.

"Well, congratulations...you could be some of our final guests..." The woman told them, the siblings sharing raised eyebrows in response.

"Sounds vaguely ominous." Dean said.

"No, I'm sorry..." The woman replied, "I mean, we're closing at the end of the month. Let me guess...you guys are here antiquing?"

"How'd you know?" Blaire asked, a little taken back by the comment.

"You just look the type." The woman replied, "So a king-sized bed?"

Blaire had to fight a chuckle for a moment while Dean and Sam just looked awkward.

"What? No." Sam protested, "No. No, we're two singles and maybe a cot...or a double and single if you have one...? We're just siblings..."

"Yeah." Dean added, Blaire tutting at them both.

"Oh...I'm so sorry..." The woman said, Blaire sighing and smacking Dean on the arm.

"Ignore my prissy bitches of brothers..." She said, "They, uh..."

She leaned closer to the woman and whispered.

"Have issues..."

"You know...speaking of antiques..." Sam said, desperate to break the awkwardness, "You have a really interesting urn on the front porch."

Blaire took in how pissed Dean looked and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, whispering in his ear to 'Calm the fuck down before she punched his head in'.

"Where'd you get that?" Sam asked.

"I have no idea..." The woman replied, still embarrassed, "It's been there forever."

"Here you go, Miss Mahoggoff..." She said, passing Blaire the room card and key, "You'll be staying in Room 237, a double and a single...Sherwin, could you show these gentlemen and this young lady to their room?"

"Let me guess..." Sherwin said, "Antiquers?"

* * *

"So the hotel's closing up, huh?" Sam asked as the family were led to their room.

"Yep." Sherwin replied, "Miss Susan tried to make a go of it, but the guests just don't come like they used to. Still it's a damn shame."

"Oh, yeah?" Sam asked.

"It may not look it anymore but this place was a palace." Sherwin said.

"It's still really beautiful..." Blaire said with a smile.

"Two different vice-presidents laid their heads on our pillows." Sherwin continued, "My parents worked here. I practically grew up here. I'm gonna miss it. Here's your room."

He let the family inside revealing a double bed and a single, handing them the key.

"Thanks." Sam said, heading inside followed by Blaire and then Dean.

Blaire went to look out of the window, Sam putting a hand on her back as she did.

"God, the view's gorgeous...even with the fog..." She said softly, "I could live here..."

* * *

Sam was trawling through the some papers whilst Dean spotted a dress hung on the wall, Blaire gasping and moving towards it.

"What the...?" Dean chuckled, Blaire smiling and reaching out to touch it.

"Good God, that's beautiful..." She whispered, Dean smiling and putting an arm around her.

"You'd look gorgeous in that." He said, Blaire chuckling in response.

"Big girl."

"Why the hell would anyone stay here?" Dean asked, "I'm amazed they kept in business this long..."

"Alright...victim number one." Sam began, "Joan Edison, forty-three years, a Realtor.

Dean sat on the double which he and Blaire would have to share, yet again, almost sinking into it which made Blaire laugh out loud. The sound was beautiful, but short and both the brothers were happy to hear the sound of it.

"I'm sorry..." Blaire laughed, not getting why she found that so funny, but she bent double, holding her sides and even dropping to the floor on her knees before finally calming down, "Holy Christ, I needed that laugh..."

Dean smiled and Blaire looked at Sam, raising her hands in apology.

"Sorry, Sammy."

"Joan was handling the sale of the hotel..." Sam continued, "And victim number two was Larry Williams, moving some stuff out to Goodwill."

"There's a connection." Dean said, "They're both tied up in shutting the place down."

"Maybe someone doesn't want to leave." Blaire suggested, "And they're using Hoodoo to fight back."

"Who'd you think our witch doctor is?" Dean asked, "That Susan lady?"

"No...it doesn't seem likely." Blaire said, sitting on the other side of the bed and almost collapsing into it herself which made Dean chuckle, "Son of a bitch."

"I mean, she's the one selling..." Sam said.

"So, what then?" Dean asked, "Sherwin?"

"I don't know..." Sam replied, Dean jumping as he felt Blaire's hands on his back.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Working your muscles...hold still." Blaire said, "You've got more knots than a sailor's rope here..."

"The most troubling question is, why do people always assume we're gay...?" Dean asked, "Or...or a group of threesome-lovers...?"

"Well, you are kind of butch..." Sam replied, "Blaire looks a little kinky..."

"Hey!" Blaire protested, "You look like a prissy. Little. Girl."

* * *

The siblings headed down the corridor, Sam stopping as he spotted something. He'd always been extremely vigilant, sometimes spotting things that Blaire and Dean would never have discovered in a million years. That's why he was always amazing to hunt with. He loved researching, he spotted the smaller details and he always supportive.

"Hey..." He said, Dean and Blaire turning back to see what he'd found, "Look at that...more Hoodoo."

Dean found a door with _PRIVATE _written on it, knocking only to have Susan open the door to him and his siblings.

"Hi there." Dean said.

"Hi." Susan replied, looking a little concerned, "Everything okay with your room?"

"Yeah." Blaire answered, "Yeah, everything's great."

"Good." Susan sighed, "Well...I was just in the middle of packing, so..."

"Hey, are those antique dolls?" Dean asked, "'Cause this one...this one, she's..."

Horror flooded Blaire's system. Dolls...fucking dolls..._everywhere._ She hated the damn things. They were so creepy, just...God, it gave her shudders.

"She's got a major doll collection back home. Don't you?"

Blaire glared at her brother, turning to Susan and smiling weakly.

"Big time..." She said.

"Big time." Dean added, utter glee on his face, "Yeah. you think she could...uh...we could come in and take a look?"

"I don't know..." Susan replied.

"Please?" Dean asked, putting on his best puppy eyes whilst Blaire tried to back away, only hitting the brick wall that was her brothers, "I mean, she loves them. She's not gonna tell you this...but she's always dressing them up in tiny outfits and pretending they're her babies...I mean, you'd make her day..."

He turned to Blaire.

"She would? Huh...huh?"

Blaire sighed and looked to Susan.

"It's true."

"Okay...come on in." Susan said.

"Alright..." Dean said, Blaire punching him on her way in, "Wow...this is a lot of dolls...and they're nice, y'know...they're not super creepy at all..."

"I suppose they are a little creepy..." Susan laughed, taking in the way Blaire was sticking close to her brother, "But they've been in the family forever...lot of sentimental value."

Sam and Blaire had found a large doll house, looking just like the hotel.

"What is this?" Sam asked, "The hotel?"

"That's right." Susan replied, "Exact replica, custom built."

Sam bent down and picked up a doll, looking to Dean and Susan.

"His head got twisted around..." He said, Dean and Blaire looking a little concerned, "What happened to it?"

"Tyler, probably." Susan replied.

"Mommy!" Came a sweet little voice, "Maggie's being mean!"

A little girl with long, straight dark-blonde hair appeared in the doorway, looking pretty sad.

"Tyler, tell her I said to be nice, okay?" Susan said, Blaire taking the doll from Sam and talking to the child.

"Hey, Tyler...I see you broke your doll." She said softly, "Would you like me to fix him up for you?"

"I didn't break it," Tyler said softly, "I found it like that."

Blaire knelt down in front of her.

"I see..." She said, "Well, maybe Maggie did it."

"No." Tyler replied, "Neither of us did it. Grandma would get mad if we broke them."

"Tyler, she wouldn't get mad..." Susan reassured her, stroking her hair.

"Grandma?" Dean asked.

"Grandma Rose." Tyler said, "These were all her toys."

"Really?" Blaire asked, "So where is Grandma Rose now, Tyler?"

"Up in her room." Tyler replied.

"Y'know, I'd really love to talk to Rose about her incredible dolls." Blaire said.

"No." Susan replied suddenly, shocking the siblings, "I mean, I'm afraid that's impossible. My mother's been very sick, and she's not taking any visitors..."

* * *

"What do you think?" Dean asked, "Dolls? Hoodoo? Mysterious shut-in Grandma?"

"Well...dolls are used in all kinds of Voodoo and Hoodoo." Blaire explained, "Like curses and binding spells, and..."

"Maybe we've found our witch-doctor." Dean said, "I'll go see what I can dig up on Booming Granny."

"Okay, we'll get online and check out old obituaries...freak accidents...see if she's whacked anybody." Blaire said.

She and Sam headed back to the room, immediately getting to work. A mere few hours later, another person had died in the hotel, someone who revealed to Susan that they'd been planning to demolish the hotel. Dean was met by a panicked Blaire who rushed into him outside their room.

"Dean...Sam's drunk..."

* * *

"That guy...who hung himself..." Sam breathed as he teared up, "I couldn't save him."

"What are you saying, sweetie?" Blaire asked, kneeling by her brother and taking his hand, "You couldn't have done anything."

"That's just an excuse, Blaire..." Sam replied, "I should've found a way to save him. I should've saved Ava too."

"Baby, you can't save everyone..." Blaire whispered, "Even you said that..."

Sam banged his arm on the table and Blaire flinched a little, standing up and folding her arms as she glared at her brother. She was sick of being threatened by the people around her and if Sam did that again she'd hit him, as much as the thought pained her.

"No, Blaire! You don't understand!" Sam bit, "The more people I save, the more I can change!"

"Change what?" Dean asked.

"My destiny, Dean!"

"Okay...time for bed." Dean said, "Come on, Sasquatch. Come on."

"I need you to watch out for me." Sam said as Blaire and Dean got him out of the chair.

"You know we always do." Blaire reassured him.

"No, no, no!" Sam protested, "You have to watch out for me, alright. And if I ever turn into something that I'm not...you have to kill me."

"Sam..." Blaire breathed.

"Blaire, Dad told Dean to do it." Sam said, turning to his brother, "You have to."

"Yeah? Well Dad's an ass." Dean spat, "He never should've said anything. You don't do that. You don't lay that kinda crap on your kids."

"No, he was right to say it." Sam said, tears forming in his eyes, "Who knows what I might become?"

"The same can be said for any of us." Blaire told him.

"Even now, everyone around me dies." Sam cried.

"We ain't dead yet, beanpole." Blaire smiled, "Come on...bedtime, sweetie."

"Dean, promise me!" Sam begged, "Please..."

"Don't ask that of me, Sam."

"Please..."

Dean sighed and nodded.

"I promise."

"Thanks...thank you..." Sam breathed, Dean shoving him onto the bed and getting his legs on, Sam rolling over onto his stomach and breaking into sobs which got Blaire straight to the bed, sitting by his side and stroking fingers through his hair, pressing kisses to his head and whispering assurances to him.

"Okay, honey..." She whispered, "Go to sleep..."

Sam eventually began to snore, Dean not realising how upset his sister was until she turned with tears streaming down her face...again. The poor girl barely went through a week without being in tears and it was hard for Dean to watch.

"C'mere..." He said softly, Blaire leaving Sam's side and sitting on the bed she currently shared with Dean, bowing her head as tears fell down her face.

Dean stroked his hand through her hair and cupped her face, making her look up at him.

"It's gonna be okay..." He promised, "Sam's gonna be fine, okay..."

Blaire shook her head and covered her face with her hands, Dean wincing at the action before pulling her close to him.

"Hey...shhh," He soothed, hugging his sister to his body, "It's alright...stop crying, Blaire. It's okay..."

Blaire fell asleep in his arms out of pure exhaustion and Dean pulled back the bed sheets, laying Blaire on the mattress and pulling her boots off before tucking her in, pressing a kiss to her cheek as she curled into the mattress. He scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed, walking over and stroking Sam's head just the once before heading out of the room.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for reading so far! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Eighteen**

Blaire sat by Sam's side, rubbing his back as he puked into the toilet as his hangover took over him, the middle Winchester soothing him as he groaned in discomfort.

"It's okay, Sam..." She promised, "Let it out..."

And he did, Blaire grimacing and gagging at the sight and smell of whiskey tinted puke. The poor boy had been knelt here for about twenty minutes and finally he was being sick as he'd hoped to be. The room door opened, Dean hearing his brother's retching and chuckling in response.

"How you feelin', Sammy?" He asked with a grin, taking his coat off, "I guess mixing whiskey and Jager was n;t such a gangbuster idea, was it?"

"Dean, leave him alone." Blaire hissed, rubbing her baby brother's back soothingly.

"What the hell you nursing him for?" Dean asked, "He only did it to himself."

"Shut up, jerk!" She snarled.

"Shrimp."

Blaire glared at him and he backed away, if a little nervously before the middle Winchester turned back to her brother.

"Hey turns out when Grandma Rose was a tyke, she had a Creole nanny who wore a Hoodoo necklace." Dean told his siblings, wincing at the smell coming from the bathroom, "Oh...Jesus..."

"So you think she taught Rose Hoodoo?" Sam asked weakly.

"Yes, I do." Dean replied looking at his sister who looked tired and pale, "Didn't sleep much last night, huh, Blaire?"

"No." She said sweetly, "But I've slept on less hours than last night, so..."

"Alright..." Sam said, standing up slowly with the help of Blaire, "I think it's time we talk to Rose."

Dean and Blaire winced, Dean not holding back.

"Yeah, you need to brush your teeth first."

"In fact..." Blaire said, "Sam, you need your sleep...you stay here."

"What? Why?" Sam asked, Blaire leaning closer to him in response.

"Because I never get any juice from a hunt, bitch, now get yourself back into bed and sleep off your hangover."

Sam chuckled and Blaire smiled in return, kissing his head as he went to give her a hug.

* * *

"Hello?" Blaire called as she knocked on the door to the doll room, "Susan?"

There was no answer and Dean was getting impatient.

"Clear?" She asked, Dean humming in response while Blaire began to pick the lock of the door.

They slowly opened the room door, Blaire shuddering as she was met with the lifeless eyes of the dolls in the room.

"Creepy fucking pot-demons..." She said, Dean laughing a little in response.

"Calm down." He chuckled, taking her hand, "I gotcha."

They headed to the left, coming across another door which opened slowly, both of them heading inside and finding it led to a set of stairs. They began to ascend, Dean keeping a good grip on Blaire's hand. Reaching the top of the stairs, Blaire gasped as she saw a partially open door.

"Great..." She breathed, closing her eyes and keeping calm for a moment as she gripped Dean's hand that little bit tighter.

They pushed the door open to find an old lady sitting in a wheelchair, staring at the rainfall outside the window.

"Maybe we should go." Blaire mouthed slowly, Dean understanding and shaking his head, "Well, fuck you...I'm outta here."

With that she retreated, not knowing why she did but something was telling her to go. Dean stayed and soon was catching up with her down the corridor.

"We're outta here." He said.

"What?" Blaire asked.

"Two minutes or the cops are on their way, and frankly, I don't need arresting again."

The pair rushed back to the room, grabbing Sam, packing and getting the hell out, not driving too far away though. They weren't stupid enough to just leave and not keep an eye on the place.

"Well, so much for juice." Blaire sighed, watching Sam who was laying on the backseat falling asleep.

* * *

"What the hell happened out there?" Susan asked, referring to almost being hit by her car as well as the whole set of playground equipment coming to life.

"You want the truth?" Dean asked.

"Of course." Susan replied.

"Well, first we thought it was some sort of Hoodoo curse." Dean said, Blaire sitting beside the woman and taking her hand to reassure her, "But that out there? That was definitely a spirit."

"You're insane." Susan said, Blaire patting her head and smiling.

"Sorry, honey. But we aren't." Blaire said, "Listen, we need to know when your mother had the stroke..."

"What does that have to do with...?" Susan began.

"Just answer the question." Blaire interrupted.

"Uh...about a month ago..." Susan replied, tears falling from her eyes.

"Right before the killings began." Sam said, turning to Dean, "See? What if Rose was working Hoodoo, but not to hurt anyone, to protect them?"

"She was using the urns to ward off the spirit..." Dean breathed, Blaire squeezing Susan's hand.

"I don't believe this..." Susan breathed.

"Listen, sister, that car didn't try to run you down by itself, okay?" Blaire said, "I mean...I guess it did, technically...but the spirit can..."

Susan was giving her this wide-eyed look and she sighed.

"Forget it."

"Just believe what you want, alright?" Sam said, sitting in front of the poor woman, "But you and your family are in danger...so you need to clear everybody out. Uh, your employees, your mother, your daughters, everyone..."

"Um..." Susan replied, a tear rolling down her face, "I only have one daughter."

"One?" Sam asked.

"I thought Tyler had a sister named Maggie..." Blaire said.

"Maggie's imaginary." Susan said.

"But I saw...her..." Blaire said, realising what was happening, "Oh my God...Susan...Susan, where's Tyler?"

* * *

The hunters and Susan ran up to the doll room, finding them all broken with their heads separated from their bodies.

"Oh my God..." Susan breathed, "Tyler!"

"Susan, we need to know about Maggie..."

"Um...I don't know much..." Susan replied, almost hysterical, "Tyler's been talking about her since Mom got sick."

"Okay. Did you ever know anyone by that name?" Sam asked.

"No..." Susan breathed.

"Think." Dean urged, "Think, I mean somebody that could've lived here? Passed away?"

"My God, my mom..." Susan said, "She had a sister named Margaret...she barely spoke about her."

"Did she die here when she was a kid?" Blaire asked.

"She drowned in the pool..." Susan revealed, horror rushing through everyone's system.

They headed for the pool, watching Tyler jump from the balcony and into the water. Dean and Sam headed away with Susan while Blaire tried to get in and failed, not knowing what else to do other than kick the door in, glass getting caught in her leg.

"Fuck..." She breathed, breaking through and jumping straight into the pool without hesitation. The kid looked dead, if she was honest, and she grabbed her and held her to her body, breaking out of the water and praying.

She prayed so damn hard. She'd lost her own child and she knew what the pain was like, and if Susan had to lose her only daughter then good God, Blaire wouldn't be able to live with herself. She got her to the pool side, climbing out and trying to feel for a pulse.

"Tyler...?" She asked, "Come on, sweetie, wake up...wake up, please..."

As soon as Susan came through the door that Dean and Sam had kicked open, Tyler burst into life, Blaire smiling and shedding a tear of relief as Susan pulled her daughter close, holding her tight.

* * *

As Sam and Dean headed for the car, Susan pulled Blaire back for a moment. Her mother had passed away in the hotel not long after Tyler's rescue and they'd all found her dead in the chair. Blaire was still suffering a little with her leg. Not much, but it was sore and she hated soreness more than anything. Aches she could cope with. Soreness just drove her mad.

"Listen..." Susan began, "When...when you got my daughter out...I...couldn't help but notice how maternal you were..."

It was an odd thing to suggest to say the least and Blaire raised an eyebrow.

"I...when I was cleaning your room I accidentally knocked your diary off of the bedside table and baby photos fell out of it...scan photos..." Susan said, Blaire looking to her feet, "I don't mean to pry but...where's that baby now?"

"It was never born..." Blaire replied, "Miscarried when I was almost at my fifth month."

"I'm...I'm sorry..." Susan said, "God...how awful..."

"Well...you get by..." Blaire replied, "I just...I couldn't bear to watch another mother have to suffer the loss of her baby, that's all. I..."

"Thank you." Susan breathed, pulling Blaire into a warm hug, "Thank you so much..."

"Anytime." Blaire replied, watching them climb into the cab and drive away.

She headed over to the Impala, watching her brothers blink tears away before she climbed inside, wondering what the hell had gone off while she'd been speaking to Susan.

"Come on, shrimp!" Dean huffed, "We've been waiting for you!"

"Sorry, jerk, I was talking to Susan!"

"Yeah, that's all you women ever do." Dean laughed, "Talk. Natter, natter, natter."

He yelped when Blaire smacked him around the head, Sam chuckling in response.

"Listen." He said, "It was a brave thing you did back there."

"Thanks." Blaire replied with a blush.

"And I know part of you was spurred on because it was a child dying..." Dean said, "I know you're still struggling to deal with Ashley and I just...I want you to know I'm proud of you...okay?"

Blaire smiled tearfully and nodded, Sam giving his brother a look of pride as Dean started the car, the youngest Winchester reaching his hand behind his seat which Blaire took, squeezing for a moment before she leaned forward and kissed her brother's cheeks.

She was finally being appreciated and at last being praised for her work.

* * *

Dean was letting Blaire drive his baby. He watched as the girl had complete control of the car and he smiled at how peaceful she looked behind the wheel, feeling grateful to see her in peace for once.

"So, what'd Susan say to you...?" He asked, Blaire sighing.

"Said she spotted how maternal I was," Blaire said, "Apparently she accidentally knocked my diary onto the floor and found the scan pictures."

"You've always been pretty maternal." Dean smiled.

"Yeah, but she asked where the baby was now," Blaire continued, "Had to tell it'd never been born."

There was a small silence before Blaire sighed again.

"God...I wish...I just wish I'd known if I was having a boy or a girl, y'know..." She said, "That one detail would've made me feel a bit better."

"Yeah." Dean replied, licking his lips nervously before asking his next question, "You spoken to Dad recently? Or Mom...?"

"I spoke to Mom last week." She said, "She told me I was doing great; that I was coping really well...she told me I was growing more beautiful by the day and that you need to stop worrying so much about Sam."

"It's hard though, Blaire..." Dean replied, looking at his brother who was snoring away in the backseat, "It's so hard when I know what he could become...I don't wanna believe it but the possibility's still there."

"Which is why we've gotta remain positive, okay?" Blaire said sweetly, "Look...I don't wanna think about what could happen to Sam, but let me tell you one thing I do know."

Dean looked intrigued. Blaire knew that if she spoke of this, it had to be in the most minor detail; the kind of detail Dean wouldn't be able to deduce anything from.

"We're facing an upcoming war." She said, "Gordon was right, there's a big ugly war coming and it's not gonna turn out pretty for anyone. But Sam's strong. He'll pull through."

"Blaire, how do you know this?" Dean asked, Blaire sighing in response.

"Mom."

* * *

"Tell us about this bank." Dean said as he, Blaire and Sam got out of the Impala after interviews for another hunt.

They were in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and night had fallen now, the air damp and cold.

"The Milwaukee National Trust," Sam began, "It was hit about a month ago."

"Same m.o as the jewelry store?" Blaire asked.

"Yep, inside job, long-time employee." Sam sighed, "The never-in-a-million-years type. Dude robs the bank, then goes home and supposedly commits suicide."

"And this guy, Reznick was the security guard on duty?" Blaire asked.

"He was beaten actually unconscious by the teller who heisted the place." Sam replied.

"God..." Dean breathed.

"Yeah." Sam replied, knocking on the door of the house they'd been approaching, "Mr Reznick? Ronald Reznick?"

The security light came on and everyone flinched.

"Son of a..." Blaire hissed, watching the man approach, "FBI, Mr Reznick."

He was a large man with wavy dark hair and a frightened look on his face.

"Let me see the badge." He said, everyone pulling out their fake IDs and showing them to him, "Already gave my statement to the police."

"Yeah, listen, Ronald, just some things about your statement." Blaire said, Dean and Sam impressed by her authoritative stature and tone, "We wanted to get some clarification on it."

"You read it?" He asked.

"Sure did." Blaire replied.

"Come to listen to what I gotta say?" He asked.

"That's why we're here." She told him, her comforting smile easing his nerves a little.

"Well...come on in..." He said, opening the door to the the three of them, "None of the cops ever called me back. Not after I told them what was really going on. Uh...they all thought I was crazy."

Textbook. Simply textbook. When it came to the Winchesters' work, people being considered to be crazy was the first sign of a possible hunt. The wall was decorated with maps and UFOs, aliens and newspaper clippings which actually reconsidered Blaire's assumption of a textbook beginning to a hunt.

"First off, Juan Morales never robbed the Milwaukee National Trust, okay, that is a guarantee." Ronald began, "See, me and Juan were friends. He used to come back to the bank on my night shifts and we'd play cards."

"So you let him into the bank that night." Sam said, "After hours."

"The thing I let into the bank," Ronald began, "Wasn't Juan. I mean, it had his face, but it wasn't his face. Uh, every detail was perfect, but too perfect."

"Oh, brother." Blaire mumbled, coughing to cover up her words.

"Y'know, like if a doll maker made it, like, if I was talking to a big Juan doll." Ronald continued, Blaire and Dean biting the insides of their cheeks to hide their smirks.

"A 'Juan doll'?" Sam asked.

"Look." Ronald said, handing the Winchesters a file, "This wasn't the only time this happened, okay? There was this jewelry store too, and the cops and you guys...I mean...you just won't see it! Both crimes were pulled off by the same thing!"

"And what's that, Mr Reznick?" Sam asked as he, Blaire and Dean studied the file.

He picked up a magazine and pointed to the front cover, which talked about Cybermen.

"Chinese have been working on them for years," He said, "And the Russians before that...part man, part machine. Like the Terminator bu the kind that can change itself. Make itself look like others."

Blaire raised her eyebrows and bit her lip, looking up at Dean and Sam who just looked stunned. Purely stunned.

"_Invasion of the Body Snatchers_ kinda thing?" She asked, Ronald nodding completely earnestly.

"See...not just a robot or anything like that, more of a 'mandroid'." He said.

"A mandroid?" Sam asked.

"What makes you so sure about this, Ronald?" Dean asked, Ronald smiling before putting a tape in the machine beside the TV.

"See, I made copies of all the security tapes," He began, "I knew once the cops got them, they'd be buried...here."

Blaire, Dean and Sam all sat on Ronald's couch, watching a little nervously and confused as he set the tape playing.

"Now watch..." He said, "Watch..."

He paused it to reveal Juan with bright eyes.

"There it is!" Ronald cried triumphantly, "You see, he's got the laser eyes!"

Dean, Sam and Blaire shared looks before looking a little closer.

"Cops said it was some kind of reflected light." Ronald said, "Some kind of 'camera flare.' Okay? Ain't no damn camera flare! They say I'm a post-trauma case. Sp what? Bank goes and fires me? It don't matter. The mandroid is still out there."

He pinned another piece of an article to his wall and turned back to the siblings.

"The law won't hunt this thing down...I'll do it myself."

_'Fool.' _Blaire thought.

"You see, this...this thing...it kills the real person." He continued, "Makes it look like a suicide. Then it sorta like, morphs into the person."

_Shapeshifter_.

"Cases the job for a while 'til it knows where the take is fat..." Ronald rambled, "Then it finds its opening!"

Oh, he was so excited, Blaire almost cracked a smile. It was like watching a kid the first time they learn how to ride a bike, or the first time they solve a math problem on their own. She'd never forgotten the look on Sam's face when he'd first cracked a case that she, Dean and John had been working on. He looked like he'd just earned ruler-ship of the world and that smile of pure self-pride and self-belief had stayed with her forever.

"Now, these robberies, they're-they're grouped together!" Ronald cried, "So, I figure the, the mandroid is holed up somewhere in the middle! Underground maybe, I don't know."

Dean and Sam watched with raised eyebrows while Blaire tied her hair up, Dean knowing she was kicking her brain into gear and thinking of possible creatures that this could be.

"Maybe that's where it recharges it's mandroid batteries!" Ronald said, now wide-eyed and shaking.

"Okay..." Sam said, standing with his siblings, "I want you to listen very carefully. Because I'm about to tell you the Gods' honest truth about all of this."

Dean and Blaire braced themselves.

"There's no such thing as mandroids." Sam said, "There's nothing evil or inhuman going on out there. Just people. Nothing else, you understand?"

Blaire just walked towards the door and blocked out the sound. It was cringe-worthy...horrible...awful to listen to her brother lying to someone who was so close to the truth...minus the mandroid battery talk. They left, taking all the tapes with them.

"I can't believe you." Blaire said, looking up at her brother and actually feeling hurt about the lie he'd just told, "He had his heart set on the mandroids! So, maybe we're dealing with a shapeshifter, you could've told him that..."

Sam just sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Blaire..." He breathed, going to touch her arm, only to have her flinch.

"Don't touch me..." She said, Dean rolling his eyes and grabbing Sam for a minute.

"It's her..._period..._"

Sam raised his eyebrows and gasped in understanding, nodding and smirking at Dean before getting into the car with their sister. Blaire was enduring that time of the month. The boys were gonna have a lot of fun making her mad. They just hoped she didn't knock seven shades of shit out of them for it like last time.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for reading so far! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Alright, we're coming up to one of my fave episodes and I can't wait to write it because a pretty important twist in later stories will come along in that episodes. Anyway, obviously I have to work through the other episodes before I can get to my faves.

Hope you find a sneaky hint of part of Blaire's future which is hidden somewhere within this chapter and I really hope you enjoy it!

xxxxxxxxxxxx

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Nineteen**

"Man, that has got to be the kicker..." Dean began, "Straight up. You tell that poor son of a bitch that...what did you say? Remand the tapes that he copied? Classified evidence of an ongoing investigation? That's messed up?"

Blaire still wasn't speaking to Sam. Well...not properly, but he passed her something from a paper bag on the table which brought a small smile to her face. It was a teddy bear, very much like the bear he had when he was little, Penelope. Blaire smiled at the memories of Sam unable to settle without that damn bear, and she couldn't help but hug it to her body for a moment, Sam pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Thanks, sweetie." She said softly, Dean raising an eyebrow.

"You two friends now?" He asked, Blaire nodding in response and looking so childlike as she held that bear.

She wasn't feeling too hot so she was already in her pyjamas, laying in bed with a hot water bottle to her stomach.

"What, are you pissed at me or something, Dean?" Sam asked, "Blaire was doing a pretty good job, I don't need you pissed at me too."

"No, I just think it's a little creepy how good of a fed you are." Dean replied, "I mean, come on! We could've thrown the guy a bone! He did some pretty good legwork here."

"Mandroid?" Sam asked.

"Except for the mandroid part..." Dean said, looking over some plans at the table, "I liked him. He's not that different from us. People think we're crazy."

Blaire shuffled a little uncomfortably and the brothers looked concerned. The last time she looked this pale, old yellow-eyes himself took over her body and started giving them warnings about their father, but she just smiled sweetly and settled against the pillows, looking out of the room window.

"Yeah, but he's not a hunter." Sam replied, casting a glance over at Blaire again who was looking at her baby photos whilst holding the teddy bear, "He's just a guy who stumbled onto something real. If he went up against this, he'd get torn apart. Better to stay in the dark and stay alive."

"Okay, bitch, we heard you." Blaire sighed, wincing and closing her eyes again.

Dean and Sam raised eyebrows, ignoring their sister for a moment to study the tape.

"Shapeshifter." Sam said, "Just like back in St. Louis. Sam retinal reaction to video."

"Eyes flare at the camera." Dean added, "I hate those frigging things."

"You think I don't?" Sam asked.

"Well one didn't turn into you and frame you for murder." Dean huffed, glancing at his sister who gasped in pain.

"You sure you're alright, Blaire?" He asked, the middle Winchester nodding in response.

"Look..." Sam began, "If this shifter's anything like the one in Missouri..."

"Then Ronald's right." Dean said, "Alright, they like to lair up underground...preferably the sewer. All the robberies are connected so far, right? To the sewer main layout."

Dean studied the map for a moment.

"There's one more bank lined up on that sewer main."

He looked up to find Sam approaching their sister, who was wincing but clearly asleep. He turned out the light by her bed and kissed her temple.

"Goodnight, Blaire..." He whispered, tucking her in a little more and watching over her for a moment.

Dean sighed, going over and pressing a kiss to her forehead before whispering his own goodnight. They took the baby photos that rested on the bed and placed them back in Blaire's diary, resting that on the bedside table and taking the hot water bottle out from under the sheets, earning a soft groan of discomfort which they knew they had to ignore. The two brothers began to discuss the case much more quietly after that.

Blaire awoke to a note from her brothers the following day, saying they were in the Milwaukee City Bank and to get as much rest as she could. She sighed and limped towards her cellphone, checking the time to see it was twelve noon. She sighed, picking up the phone and calling Bobby, feeling the need to talk to someone. He listened to her worries about Sam...and everything else. And he reassured her that everything was going to be fine and that she had nothing to worry about. As always.

* * *

The next time Blaire had seen her brothers, they'd been packing her up and heading away from Wisconsin with her, telling her that Dean was the bank robber on the eleven o'clock news. Great. Some FBI agent had recognised him and the shit had really hit the fan, which made Blaire grateful for missing out on the hunt. It had ended in so much bloodshed she didn't even want to know, and right now, she was happy to sit with her brother and doodle away in her notepad, getting some quality time with him since Sam wouldn't let him out into the open just yet.

"Man, I hate this." Dean huffed, sitting on the bed that he was sharing with his sister...again.

The family had been a little low on money and were basically trying to stay away from the credit card frauds for the moment, meaning the two smaller family members, Dean and Blaire, were resigned to sharing a bed. Blaire was laying on her back, Dean resting beside her on his elbow and running his fingers like a spider across her stomach, making her laugh.

"Stop it, you ass! You're in my space." She huffed, Dean laughing in response.

"Okay, okay."

The pair sat up and Blaire saw her brother looking a little sad so she cupped his cheek, telling him something their mother had told her the night before.

"Mom thinks you're beautiful...and brave..." She began, Dean looking up at her, "She's so proud of you, okay?"

Dean smiled and nodded, looking up at his sister and pulling her into a hug.

"I'm sorry we keep letting you down, honey." He whispered, Blaire gasping and covering her mouth.

"Dean Winchester, don't you ever say that!" She breathed, "You never ever let me down, am I understood?"

Dean nodded and Blaire hugged him again, kissing his temple. The door opened, Sam wandering in and watching his siblings sharing the embrace, wondering what the fuck was going on. He knew that Blaire's powers were growing and he knew his own were, and the notions just terrified him so much he didn't know what to do.

"So, did you get in to see that crazy hooker?" Dean asked as Sam went to wash his hands, standing in the doorway to the bathroom whilst Blaire sat on the bed and stroked the belly of the teddy from Sam.

"Yeah." Sam replied, "Gloria Sytnik. And I'm not so sure she's crazy."

"But she seriously believes she was touched by an angel?" Dean asked, Mary's words suddenly flitting into Blaire's head.

_An angel watches over you all the time, baby. You just don't know it. _

"Yeah." Sam replied, "Blinding light, feelings of spiritual ecstasy, the works! I mean, she's living in a locked ward and she's totally at peace."

"Oh, yeah, you're right." Dean said, "Sounds completely sane."

"Dean." Blaire warned, Dean chuckling and nodding at her.

"What about the dude she stabbed?" He asked.

"Uh, Carl Gulley." Sam replied, "Said she killed him because he was evil."

"Was he?" Dean asked.

"I don't know." Sam replied, "I couldn't find any dirt on him. I mean, he didn't have a criminal record, he worked at the campus library...had a lot of friends. He was a churchgoer."

"So then Gloria's just your standard-issue wacko." Dean said, "I mean, one who wouldn't be the first nut job in history to kill in the name of religion, know what I mean?"

"No, but she's the second in town to murder because an angel told them to." Sam said, Blaire and Dean looking shocked, "A little bit odd, don't you think?"

"Odd, yes. Supernatural, maybe." Dean replied, "But angels? I don't think so."

"Dean...if there are demons...how can there not be angels?" Blaire asked, "The Devil was a fallen angel and created the demons himself...there's always good to combat evil, Dean."

"Yeah, there's ten times as much lore about angels as there is about anything we've hunted." Sam said.

"Hey, there's a ton of lore on unicorns too!" Dean snapped, "In fact, I hear that they ride on silver moonbeams and they shoot rainbows out of their ass."

Sam sat down as though he'd just taken in some of the worst news imaginable.

"Wait...there's no such thing as unicorns?"

"That's cute." Dean said, "I'm just saying, man...there's some legends you just...you file under bull crap."

"Like the legend that you're amazing in bed." Blaire said, Sam chuckling in response.

"Quit it, shrimp."

"No, you quit it, jerk!" Blaire replied, "What the fuck happened to your faith?"

"Faith?" Dean asked.

"Yeah! When you had faith that we could fight whatever came our way. Faith that there was something better out there than the horrible fucking things we experience every day." Blaire said, standing up and moving closer to her brother, "Where did that go, Dean?"

Dean just looked at her for a moment and she grabbed her jacket.

"You know what, I need a milkshake, and no, I'm not getting you idiots anything." She huffed, grabbing her purse and heading for the nearest diner.

* * *

Blaire sipped her milkshake, finishing it and relaxing in her seat as she spoke to Ash on the phone.

_"So, life's not as bad with Sam and Dean now, huh?" _

"No, no, not really." Blaire smiled, "It's just tough, y'know. Not been with anyone since you and I kinda miss you...but..."

_"I know." _Ash replied, _"I kinda miss you too, babe." _

"Hey, they're appreciating me more, which is a good sign." She laughed, "But I've kinda left 'em to come out for a milkshake...they were pissing me off."

_"Yeah, I bet they are annoying at times." _Ash chuckled, Blaire smiling and sighing when she spotted the Impala pull up outside the diner.

"Ah, Christ..." She breathed, "I gotta go, sweetie, I'm sorry. They've found me."

_"Alright."_ Ash replied, _"Talk to you later, darlin'." _

"Bye, Ash." Blaire said softly hanging up and staring at her brothers as they joined her in the booth, "May I help you?"

"Yeah, we gotta go to Carl Gulley's house." Dean said, the three getting up and heading for the car.

* * *

"Oh, hey, guys..." Dean said as he headed up the stairs to the house, "Think I found the sign."

The angel model that was on the porch stood out a mile and Dean looked serious, but with that smirk shadowed on his face.

"It's a sign from up above."

"Dick." Blaire muttered, taking a swig of whiskey before looking up at Sam who was grimacing at Dean.

"Well, I think I learned a valuable lesson." Dean said as he trotted down the stairs, "Always take down your Christmas decorations after New Year's or you might get filleted by a hooker from God."

Blaire had no idea why she did this, but she slapped Dean around the face, Dean yelping in shock.

"Hey, what the hell was that for?"

"You're being a stupid fucking idjit." Blaire bit, Dean laughing in response.

"Damn, you're just like Bobby."

Sam looked around for a moment, heading to the side of the house and opening a gate, Dean and Blaire sharing looks before following him into the garden.

"Y'know, Gloria said the guy was 'guilty to his deepest foundations.'" He said, Blaire looking at the youngest Winchester.

"You think she literally meant the foundation?" She asked, the three of them opening the doors to the basement and heading down with flashlights at the ready.

They looked around, turning their attention to Blaire when she spotted several markings on the wall.

"Hey..." She whispered, Sam and Dean moving over to her.

"You got something, sweetie?" Dean asked, the tone slightly patronising, "What is it?"

Blaire winced and cringed as she pulled something out of the wall, gagging when she held it up to her brothers.

"It's a fingernail..." She whimpered, Dean looking around for a few shovels before she and her brothers got to work digging up the basement floor.

Soon, however, her back began to ache, and Dean pushed her out of the hole they'd dug before letting Sam take over.

"I promise, I'll work the kinks out when we get back, okay?" He told her, Blaire smiling at her big brother and nodding in thanks.

They unearthed a skeleton, Sam hoisting Blaire down into the hole to have a look.

"So much for the innocent, churchgoing librarian." Sam breathed.

"Yeah, well, whatever spoke to Gloria about this knew what it was talking about, I'll give you that."

* * *

Dean and Blaire were in the motel room again, Sam out finding more information while Blaire volunteered to keep Dean company. Dean used the time to work Blaire's back, trying to release the tension and take the pain away. She sat in her tank top and jogging pants, on the bed as Dean sat behind her and rubbed her back gently.

"So, you spoke to Ash in that diner then?" He asked, "Only, you were grinning like an idiot."

"Yeah." Blaire replied, "I was talking to Ash."

"You miss him?" Dean asked.

"Kinda." Blaire answered.

"Does he miss you?"

"Kinda."

Dean smiled, kissing Blaire's cheek. She and Ash had kept in touch since their encounter at the Roadhouse and Dean knew his sister was a little lonely without the weird genius with a mullet who lived with Ellen and Jo. He'd been thinking a lot about Blaire recently and he knew that he'd been a little out of line every time she'd met a guy on a hunt. He'd never let her live...he'd never let her be with anyone like he was with countless girls on the job. He'd felt a little guilty and he hoped his baby sister would find that special someone.

But Blaire...she deserved nothing but the best. She deserved a man who would care for her and love her more than anything, but in this life, the closest thing to that was Bobby, but that was just creepy. Bobby was more like a second father to the siblings and Dean knew his sister had been guided well by the older hunter in her hours of trouble and need.

"Not to sound creepy..." Blaire began, "But...fuck, Dean...where the hell did you learn to massage?"

"Does it feel good?" He asked, Blaire's smile fading.

"Too good...get off."

"Okay, ew..." Dean said, letting his sister go as she put on her yellow checkered shirt, "That colour suits you, y'know. It brings out your eyes."

"Thanks, sweetie." Blaire replied, pulling out her laptop and bottle of whiskey, "You want?"

Dean looked in the cabinets for a couple of glasses and smiled, Blaire filling them up before settling on her laptop.

"You're so cute, y'know that?" He chuckled.

"Girl." Blaire replied, typing away at lightning speed.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked.

"Making hard copies of the notes of the cases we've done. I do it every time in case anything happens to these files." She explained, plugging her memory stick into the laptop, "This way, we can keep track and I have three copies of everything."

"Three?" Dean asked.

"One. The files." Blaire began, "Two. The laptop. And three. The memory stick."

"Good thinking, Batman." Dean replied, smiling at his sister who kissed his cheek gently, "Love you, Blaire."

"Love you too, Dean." Blaire answered, plugging in her portable wi-fi and finding some music.

She began to play _Mr Sandman _by the Chordettes, Dean smiling as she sang along to it and continued to type without even looking at her keyboard. She really was the most amazing girl in Dean's life and she always would be, no matter what happened.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for reading so far! **

**xxxxxxxxxx  
**


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twenty**

Sam came through the door, looking at his siblings strangely as they both sat on the same bed dancing to _Oops Upside Your Head_, the pair of them stopping and blushing profusely as he cleared his throat, Blaire reaching to turn her media player off.

"We got news." She said, trying to hide her blush as she reached for her beer.

"Me too." Sam replied, Blaire nodding in response as she took a sip of beer.

She was proud of Sam, taking on the job mainly on his own as Dean couldn't go out and she wanted to update her files. He threw a bag of food to Dean, he and Blaire digging in while he grabbed his own food.

"Alright, you go first." Blaire said sweetly, resting against Dean's chest as the two tucked into burgers.

"Three students disappeared off the college campus, this year," Sam began, "All were last seen at the library..."

"Where Carl Gulley worked?" Blaire asked.

"Yep." Sam replied, Blaire nodding and swallowing the bit of burger she had in her mouth.

"Sick bastard." She muttered, Sam smiling as Dean pressed a quick kiss to Blaire's temple.

Dean had become a lot more caring and loving towards his sister. He'd started to try and show her how much she meant to him a little more, as Sam had, since actually, Blaire did a lot for them and without her help, a few cases wouldn't have been solved.

"So Gloria's angel..." Sam said, being interrupted by Dean.

"Angel?"

"Okay, whatever this thing is." Blaire snapped, "Continue, Sam."

"Well, whatever it is, it struck again." Dean interrupted again.

"What?" Blaire asked, "When did you find this out?"

"When you were in the bathroom..." Dean replied.

"You dint think, 'Oh, maybe Blaire should know about this!'?"

"Nope." Dean replied, "I thought we'd better wait for Sam to come back before I told you."

Blaire sighed and rubbed her temples.

"Give me strength..."

"I was listening to the police radio and there was this guy, Zach Smitt." Dean told them, "Some local drunk. He went to a stranger's front door last night. Stabbed him in the heart."

"I'm guessing he went to the police and confessed?" Sam asked.

"Yep. Roma Downey made him do it." Dean replied, "Now, I, uh..."

He went to the mirror and pulled a stick-note off of it.

"I got the victims address."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about this!" Blaire said.

"You were blow-drying your hair!" Dean retorted.

"I don't give a flying fuck, Dean, you still should've told me!" Blaire snapped, finishing her beer and slamming it on the bedside table, "Let's go...fucking men, I've never known anything like 'em..."

She continued her little rant as she got her jacket and boots on, the brothers having to grin at their sister's little bitch fit. They headed for the house which happened to have an angel statue in the front yard and police tape around it. Snow had fallen over the town and the white blanket coating it reminded Blaire of when she, Dean and Sam would play in the snow at their motel around Christmas time. The went around the side, Blaire climbing over the tall fence first, followed by Dean and Sam. She shivered in the cold, walking in between her brothers and pressing close to her radiator of a younger brother. Sam opened a window using his knife and let his siblings in, Sam about to climb in before Dean stopped him.

"Ladies first." He said, helping Blaire inside which made her laugh.

Blaire sat watching Sam hacking into the computer, unable to believe how good he was with this stuff.

"What's with the locked file?" Blaire asked, Sam sighing for a moment.

Dean moved over to them, revealing that he'd found nothing.

"Hang on..." Sam breathed, typing in a password which to his surprise unlocked the file.

"Good job, my favourite little nerd." Blaire said, scooting closer to her brother and breathing a sigh when she read a name on the file, "God..."

"What?" Dean asked, moving over to look.

"He has all these emails..." Sam said, "Dozens. To this lady named Jennifer."

The siblings read them and Blaire gasped, covering her mouth.

"This lady who's thirteen years old..." Sam breathed, Blaire shuddering and turning away from the screen.

"Fucking sick bastard..." She spat, "He deserves to be dead."

"Blaire?" Dean asked, "You okay?"

"I'm sorry...I need some air." The middle Winchester replied, heading out of the house and feeling so much anger she just wanted to break something.

She decided to head into town and grab another milkshake. Maybe call Ash. Ash seemed to make her feel better about everything. She remembered the time that Dean should've been watching her in the playground near their motel once when John was hunting a spirit in Alabama. He tried to keep his eye on Sam too as the pair played near the swings and Sam happened to fall over and hurt himself. The kid was five so a fall was like the worst thing ever to him, and Dean had gone to pick him up, turning to find Blaire gone.

He'd panicked and looked everywhere for her, only to find a guy trying to drag her to his car. It was the first time Dean had ever had to use his knife and he'd cut the guy's arm, grabbed his sister and brother and the three of them had run for home. Blaire rarely played alone after that. She'd needed someone with her constantly, but then as she got into her teens and the independence kicked in, she preferred being alone. She wanted to be alone right now, so she headed for that milkshake.

A while later, Dean and Sam had been talking after their visit to the church the victims went to. Dean had found out that Sam prayed every day and he knew Blaire did too. Blaire had prayed even from being just three when all she could really pray was for God to protect her and her family and for Him to look after her mother. Dean had also told Sam about that day in the park and Sam understood now why Blaire had left like that. Dean knew they had to call her and get her up here to them. And they did.

* * *

"Sammy..." Dean breathed as he and Blaire found their brother collapsed in the room they were just in.

"Sam?" Blaire asked sitting by her brother, "Wake up, sweetie..."

Sam sat up suddenly, Blaire and Dean grabbing him to steady him.

"You okay?" Dean asked, Sam nodding with a half-smile on his face.

"Yeah...yeah, I'm okay..."

The older Winchesters hauled Sam to his feet and led him out of the crypt, Dean asking the important question.

"You saw it, didn't you?" He asked, "Didn't you?"

"Yeah..." Sam replied, Blaire gasping and biting her lip, "Yeah, Dean...I saw an angel..."

"Alright..." Dean began, pulling out his flask of whiskey, "Here..."

"I don't want a drink." Sam replied, voice soft as he spoke.

"Dean, leave him alone..." Blaire breathed in disbelief.

"So, what makes you think you saw an angel?" The oldest sibling asked.

"I just..." Sam began, "It appeared before me and I just. This feeling washed over me, you know...? Like peace...like grace..."

"Oh, Sam..." Blaire breathed, sitting by her brother with a huge smile on her face, taking his hand in her own.

Dean looked at her with disbelief and wide eyes.

"Okay, ecstasy boy." He said, Sam looking from Blaire to him, "Maybe we'll get you some glow sticks, and a nice Dr. Seuss hat, huh?"

"Dean, I'm serious." Sam replied, Blaire glaring at her older brother, "It spoke to me, it knew who I was..."

"And I believe him..." Blaire said, not caring if Dean laughed at her for it.

"It's just a spirit, guys." Dean said, "Okay? And it's not the first one to be able to read people's minds."

Sam and Blaire looked horrified.

"Okay, let me guess..." Dean continued, "You were personally chosen to smite some sinner. You just gotta wait for some divine Bat Signal, is that it?"

"Yeah, actually." Sam replied.

"Great." Dean said with a slightly smug look on his face, "I don't suppose you asked what this alleged bad guy did?"

"Actually I did, Dean." Sam replied, "And the angel told me. He hasn't done anything...yet...but he will."

Dean actually chuckled then and poor Blaire who was hanging onto her faith by a thread right now just let Sam's hand go and bowed her head.

"Oh, this is...I don't believe this..." Dean laughed, sighing as Blaire got up and stormed out, Sam watching her with pained eyes as she left.

She heard them shouting about how the angel hadn't been wrong yet, Dean biting back with a comment about how Sam was supposed to be bad too. She got to the steps and sat down in tears, trying so hard to hold them back. She couldn't cry anymore. It didn't do any good but right now, she just couldn't help it. She knew that their mother would tell her and Dean that when she tucked them into bed and it was the last thing she'd ever said to her. But that didn't break Blaire's faith. She had faith and it was damn strong, and she just knew that things happened for a reason. She didn't know whether to believe in God or not but she prayed just in case there actually was someone out there who was listening.

She turned when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, looking to see Dean sat by her side with tears in his eyes as he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. He rubbed her back, Sam sitting by Blaire's other side and pulling her into a tearful hug too. She was fighting her tears so much that it hurt her brothers to watch and Sam cupped her cheek, stroking his fingers into her hair and trying to soothe her as he knew how.

"It's okay to cry, Blaire..." He told her, "If you need to cry, you can cry..."

Dean bit his lip when she actually began to sob softly, moving a little closer and kissing her temple. They had to go into the crypt again and check out Father Gregory's marker.

* * *

"Wormwood..." Blaire sighed as she saw the vines covering the head stone, "It's a plant associated with the dead."

"Specifically the ones that are not at rest." Dean said, looking around him, "I don't see it growing anywhere else, except over the murdered priest's marker. It's him, Sam."

"Maybe." Sam said softly, Blaire rubbing his back reassuringly.

"Maybe?" Dean asked.

"Dean, drop it." Blaire snapped, her brothers ignoring her.

"Dean, I don't know what to think." Sam said softly.

"Okay." Dean sighed, "You want some more proof? I'll give you more proof."

"How?" Sam asked.

"We'll summon Gregory's spirit." Dean said, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"What?" Blaire asked, "Here? In the church?"

"Yeah." Dean replied, "Yeah, we just needs a few odds and ends and that séance ritual in Dad's journal."

Sam laughed.

"A séance? Great." He said, "Hope Whoopi's available."

"That's funny actually." Dean said, "Seriously...if Father Gregory's spirit is around, the séance will bring him right to us. If it's him, then we'll put him to rest."

"But if it's an angel, it won't show." Sam said, "Nothing will happen."

"Exactly." Dean replied, "It's one of the perks of the job. We don't have to operate on faith. We can know for sure. Don't you wanna know for sure?"

* * *

Sam had seen the guy the angel had apparently told him about and he was going to stop him, but Blaire and Dean grabbed him before he could move.

"You're not gonna kill because a ghost told you to!" Dean said, "Are you insane?"

"Dean, I'm not insane, I'm not gonna kill him." Sam said, "I'm gonna stop him."

"Sam, we need the truth first!" Blaire breathed, "Define 'stop' for us."

"Yeah, what are you gonna do?" Dean asked.

"Dean, please." Sam breathed, "He's gonna hurt someone. You know it!"

"Alright, come on." Dean said, the siblings heading for the Impala only for Dean to lock Sam out, telling him to do the séance himself.

They followed the guy for a while, keeping an eye on his activity, losing him for a while before finding him again and realising he was about to kill a young woman. After Blaire had effectively beaten the crap out of him in his seat, she stayed with the woman and called 911 while Dean followed the guy, making sure he didn't get away.

"Okay, it's gonna be okay..." Blaire promised, "It's gonna be fine..."

"Thank you so much..." The woman breathed, "Thank you, I thought he was gonna kill me."

Blaire just hugged the woman close and rocked her gently, waiting with her until the police arrived before sneaking out of the way. Police were the last people she needed to see.

* * *

Entering the motel room later, Blaire and Dean found Sam looking completely dejected and packing up his things.

"How was your day?" Dean asked, Blaire watching as a small tear slid down Sam's face.

"You were right, Dean." He said quietly, "It wasn't an angel, it was Gregory."

There was a silence as Dean passed Sam his flask and the youngest Winchester took a drink.

"I don't know, guys." He breathed, "I just, um...I wanted to believe...so badly...it's so damn hard to do this, what we do."

Blaire sat by his side and wrapped an arm around him, stroking her fingers lazily through his hair in an attempt to soothe him.

"All alone, you know? And there's so much evil out in the world, guys, I feel like I could drown in it." He continued, Blaire pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, "And when I think about my destiny, when I think about how I could end up..."

"Yeah, well, don't worry about that, alright?" Blaire whispered, Dean sitting on the bed, "We're watching out for you, honey."

"Yeah, I know you are." Sam replied, "But you're just two people, guys...And I needed to think that there was something else watching too, y'know? Some higher power...some greater good. And that maybe..."

"Maybe what?" Dean asked.

"Maybe I could be saved." Sam replied, "But you know, that just clouded my judgement, and you're right, Dean...we just gotta go with what we know, and with what we can see, with that's right there in front of our own two eyes."

"Yeah, well, it's funny you say that." Dean said, "Gregory's spirit gave you some pretty good information. The guy in the car was bad news. We barely got there in time."

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"He's dead." Dean replied, Blaire sighing shakily and snuggling up closer to Sam.

"Did you...?" Sam asked.

"No." Dean replied, "But I'll tell you one thing. If...The way he died, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I never would've believed it. I mean, I don't know what to call it."

"What?" Sam asked, "Dean, what did you see?"

"Maybe..." Dean began, "God's will."

Blaire looked to her brother and beckoned him to join her on the bed, pulling him close to her and hugging her brothers tightly.

"Guys...whatever happens..." She began, clearly very emotional, "We aren't ever gonna abandon each other, okay?"

The siblings nodded and she held out her pinkies.

"Pinky promise?"

Blaire had always forced the boys to make pinky promises since she was about four and even still in her adult life it was like an important ritual to her. Her brothers smiled a little and held out their pinkies, all of them linking before Blaire kissed their cheeks, Dean stroking her head and wiping her tears away.

Despite their promise, there would come times in their lives when they would abandon each other.

And not a month later, Sam had abandoned Dean and Blaire.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for the continued support! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Blaire bit her nails nervously as Dean spoke to Ellen on the phone, panicking over the sudden disappearance of her baby brother. Both Dean and Blaire stood under a large bridge near a parking lot, resting against the Impala under the pouring rain. The sky was a light grey, the grass muddy and their souls dampened, not helped by the rain.

"Ellen, it's me again..." Dean breathed, "Any chance you've heard from him?"

He sighed.

"I swear, it's like looking for Dad all over again. I'm losing my mind here and so's Blaire."

Dean wasn't wrong. Blaire and Dean were both losing their minds. They hadn't slept properly in days, and Blaire had been refusing to eat. She was tired and falling ill, and Dean wasn't far behind her. He looked down for a moment as Blaire slid her hand into his, her other hand shaking as she scrubbed it over her face. She shivered because of the cold rain and the fact that she needed some food in her system. Yet she couldn't bring herself to put a morsel of food in her mouth until she knew her baby brother was safe. Her blonde hair was darkened by the falling water and her coat was slowly getting wetter by the minute.

"I've called him a thousand times! Nothing but voicemail." Dean told Ellen, "I mean, I don't know where he went or why. Blaire doesn't know either and damnit, she hasn't eaten much since he left. Sam's just gone..."

He got another incoming call and realised it could be Sam.

"Hang on." He said, pulling back to see that indeed it was Sam, "Sammy? Where the hell are you? Are you okay?"

Blaire looked up as her brother began to sound panicked.

"Hey, hey...calm down." He began, "Where are you?"

Dean listened for a moment before speaking to Sam again.

"Alright, don't move. We're on our way." He said, hanging up, "Blaire, get in the car."

"Is he okay?" Blaire asked.

"Just get in the fucking car." Dean snapped, Blaire knowing that whatever had been said was serious and just doing as Dean told her to.

"Where are we going?" She asked, Dean ignoring her and just speeding away in the Impala.

* * *

"Sam?"

Dean and Blaire entered motel room 109 cautiously, not knowing quite what to expect on the other side of that door.

"Hey." Dean said, Sam not even acknowledging them.

"Hey, Dean..." He replied, "Hey, Blaire..."

Dean and Blaire saw the blood on his hands and knelt down before him, Blaire realising he was in a state of shock. Whatever had happened to him, he was truly traumatised, and she feared for him more than she ever had in her life.

"Are you bleeding?" Dean asked.

"I tried to wash it off..." Sam replied weakly, Blaire spotting more blood all over Sam's shirt.

"Oh, my God..." She breathed, reaching a hand up Sam's shirt to feel for a wound and getting a hitching of breath in response.

"I don't think it's my blood..." Sam said, his siblings looking a little nervous.

A million possibilities shot through Blaire's head at this point. Who the hell did the blood belong to? Had someone been hurt and Sam just couldn't remember? Had Sam...? No...no, Sam wouldn't have hurt anyone, right? He just didn't have it in him to.

"Whose is it?" She asked softly, knowing that now wasn't the time to be angry with her baby brother.

"I don't know..." Sam replied.

"Sam, what the hell happened?" Dean asked, Sam looking up with tearful eyes and the most frightened look in them that Blaire had seen in a long time.

"Dean...I don't remember anything..."

"Sammy..." Blaire whispered, cupping Sam's face, "Sam, it's okay...it's alright..."

"Blaire, what happened to me?" Sam asked, a tear falling down his face.

"I don't know, baby, but we'll find out, okay?" She breathed, kissing his temple and sitting beside him on the bed.

"I'll find out." Dean said, "Get him changed into something else, okay?"

Blaire nodded as Dean left the room, going to Sam's bag and picking out a shirt for him to wear. She turned to see him sat shivering on the spot and her heart broke. She remembered the last time Sam had been this scared. Dean and John had gone out for a hunt, Blaire left to take care of Sam. Dean had come back with a bad enough injury for John to have to take him to hospital and both Blaire and Sam had been terrified of losing their brother.

"Here, sweetie..." She said softly, beginning to unbutton the blood covered shirt Sam was already wearing, "It's okay..."

Sam let out a sob and took the shirt off, replacing it with the one Blaire had given him. He looked at her with sad, lost eyes, eyes like a frightened child's and all Blaire could think of to do was wrap her arms around him. They held each other for a moment and Sam sighed, Blaire realising suddenly that he'd smelt her hair.

"Did you just...smell me?" She asked, Sam sighing.

"Needed something familiar." He whispered, "You smell like the Impala...and coconut shampoo..."

Blaire smiled a little and kissed her brother's head, cupping his face and stroking his cheeks gently. She kissed his forehead and pressed their heads together, sighing and wrapping her arms around him again. She rocked him for a while, deciding to maybe try and soothe his fears with a familiar song which she'd sing to him as a baby for a lullaby (to the best of her ability for a three year old).

_"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound  
That saved a wretch like me.  
I once was lost, but now I'm found.  
Was blind, but now I see..."_

"Thank you." Sam whispered, resting his head on her shoulder and kissing it gently, "Love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

Dean entered the motel room with a bag of food in his hand, Sam standing to look at his brother while Blaire emerged from the bathroom, her stomach grumbling. She hadn't eaten much in the time Sam had been missing. Dean was lucky if he could get a decent meal and a snack or something into her every day. There were days when she just plainly refused food and that had worried the older Winchester greatly.

"You gonna eat now?" Dean asked, Blaire nodding in response, "Good, 'cause I got you something."

"What did you find out?" Sam asked, Dean putting the bag down on the motel room's red table.

"You checked in two days ago under the name Richard Sambora." Dean said, "And I think the scariest part about this whole thing is the fact that you're a Bon Jovi fan..."

There was Dean's defence mechanism. Sarcasm and humour. He'd always been the same. He'd put on a front to hide his fear and how uncomfortable he was with whatever situation he was thrown into, and Blaire just wished he'd tell the truth sometimes instead of lying about it to them.

"Your room's been quiet." Dean said, "Nobody's noticed anything unusual."

"You mean no-one saw me walking around covered in blood?" Sam asked, almost a little pissed that people hadn't noticed.

"Yeah, that's what I mean." Dean said.

_"Which leaves us with a bigger mystery to solve."_ Blaire thought, _"How the hell did you get back in here without the blood being noticed by anyone, Sammy?" _

"Then how the hell did I get here, Dean?" Sam asked, Blaire almost chuckling at how they'd thought of the same thing, "What happened to me?"

"I don't know, alright." Dean replied, putting his coat over a chair, "But you're okay. That's what matters. Everything else we can deal with."

"Oh, really?" Sam said, Blaire raising an eyebrow, "'Cause what if I hurt someone? Or worse...?"

"Sam..." Blaire breathed, grimacing at her brother.

"What if this is what Dad warned Dean about, huh?" He asked, Blaire sighing and running her hands through her blonde waves.

"Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa..." She said immediately, "Let's not jump the gun here, okay? We don't know what happened."

Sam huffed out a sigh and grimaced, Blaire reaching out and taking his hand in her own tiny ones, running a hand through his hair.

"We just gotta treat this as if it were any other job, alright?" She said, "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Just me, you and Dean in that motel room in West Texas." Sam replied, "I went out to grab some burgers..."

"West Texas?" Dean asked, walking towards his siblings, "That was over a week ago."

"That's it." Sam replied, "Next thing I knew, I was sitting here. Bloody...It felt like I'd been asleep for a month."

"Okay." Blaire said softly, "Retrace your steps."

"Manager said you left yesterday afternoon and never saw you come back, so..." Dean began, walking over to the window and pulling back the curtains to see blood on the handle of the window, "Hey..."

Sam and Blaire looked up, a little confused before getting up to have a look. Blaire swallowed thickly as she examined the bloody hand-print and prayed to God that her brother hadn't hurt anyone. If he had, it certainly wouldn't have been intentional...that wasn't in Sam's nature. She needed some thinking time. Time to work things out in her head, to process details and to analyse the situation...to evaluate it in a way. Her mind worked very much that way and she knew her brothers wouldn't appreciate her staying behind while they went out to see if they could retrace Sam's steps.

"Guys, I'm gonna stay here." She said, "I need to think."

The boys really didn't say much and they left the room, Blaire grabbing the food Dean had bought her and sitting on one of the beds, taking a drink and eating properly for the first time in a week. She tapped her feet on the motel room floor and began to pace slowly. Her head was screaming at her that something wasn't right with her brother. His answers and questions seemed to lead on to other questions and ideas...like the power of suggestion. The way he smelt her hair and body had creeped her out a little too, and the way he'd kissed her shoulder. He just didn't seem like...Sam...like the Sam she knew and loved.

She had a feeling that something was wrong and she began to make notes in her diary about every possibility. Illness, possession, plain and simple confusion, mental breakdown, shapeshifter. She wrote down everything and began to work it out in her mind. She feared that Sam was possessed but couldn't know for sure. She didn't want to subject him to an exorcism if he actually wasn't possessed and she knew she needed more proof.

Her cell phone rang, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Hello?"

_"Hey, Blaire, it's Ellen." _

Blaire smiled.

"Hey, Ellen." She said softly, "You okay?"

_"Yeah, are you?" _Ellen replied, "_You heard from Sam?" _

"Yeah, we've got him...it's okay, he's fine..." Blaire lied, "He just needed a little breathing space that was all...we're fine."

_"You sure, sweetie?" _Ellen asked, _"You sound a little nervous..." _

"I'm fine, honestly." Blaire lied again, "I just haven't eaten much since Sam went missing, y'know...the worry and all, I just...I couldn't bring myself to."

_"But he's okay now?" _

"Yeah. Thanks, Ellen."

_"You need anything, you can call me, honey." _Ellen told her, _"Bye, sweetie." _

"Bye, Ellen."

With that, the pair hung up.

* * *

Blaire had just woken up from a nap as her cell began to ring again, the display showing the caller to be Dean.

"Hi, Dean..." She said softly, "You find anything?"

_"Sam killed someone." _Dean replied, Blaire's heart stopping at the words, _"A hunter..." _

"Oh, my God..." She replied, "Dean, you're lying to me."

_"Wish I was, honey." _Dean said, _"Look, we'll be back at the motel in a half hour, okay? Start packing." _

"Okay...bye, Dean."

_"Bye, sweetie."_

Blaire had just managed to hang up before her cell phone slipped from her grasp, landing on the bed beside her. Sam had killed someone. Actually _killed _somebody...a hunter of all people. Blaire began to cry, trying to get some control over herself as she started to pack her bags. This could not be happening. Sam wasn't a killer...he wasn't a killer. He was not a killer. She kept telling herself that, but she knew the truth. Dean wouldn't lie to her about that...and...Sam couldn't remember a thing. What if he had killed someone? Finishing her packing, Blaire tried desperately to pull herself together, succeeding after taking several gulps of whiskey from her flask.

* * *

"Alright, we get a couple of hours sleep, then put this place in our rear-view mirror." Dean said as he and Sam entered the room, "Short stuff, you're sharing with me."

Blaire nodded and swallowed thickly, looking at her brothers. Sam looked horrified with himself, yet Blaire had a feeling that everything wasn't as it seemed with him. His brain seemed to be in gear all the time, his eyes darting about quickly as he seemed to think about something.

"Look, I know this is bad, okay?" Dean said to Sam, "You gotta snap out of it."

"Dean." Blaire warned, Sam looking like he was going to just cry.

"Sam, say something." Dean said.

"Just get some sleep and leave in the morning?" Sam asked, "Murder, Dean. That's what I did."

"Maybe, okay?" Dean replied, "Hey, we don't...shapeshifter."

"Oh, come on! It wasn't!" Sam protested, "You saw the tape! There was no eye flare, no distortion."

He turned to Blaire.

"I'm sorry, Blaire..." He breathed, "I'm sorry..."

Blaire just looked helplessly at her brother. It couldn't have been him that killed the hunter...he just wouldn't kill an innocent man.

"But it wasn't you!" Dean exclaimed, "Alright? Yeah, it may have been you but it wasn't _you_."

"I think it was." Sam said in a low voice, Blaire feeling a little wary, "I think maybe more than you know."

"What the hell does that mean?" Dean asked.

"For the last few weeks, I've been having...I've been having these feelings..." Sam began.

"What feelings?" Blaire asked, sitting on the bed she was supposed to be sharing with Dean.

"Rage. Hate."

Dean sat beside her and cautiously put an arm behind her, Blaire reaching back slightly with one hand and beginning to trace the word 'DEMON' into Dean's hand letter by letter. There was just something in the air that she was picking up from him. It wasn't good and the energy was so full of maliciousness that it seemed Sam's normal energy had just disappeared.

"And I can't stop it." Sam replied, "It just gets worse. Day by day, it gets worse."

_"Fucking liar." _Blaire thought angrily, _"Fucking disgusting hell-spawn...LIAR!" _

"You never told us this..." Dean said, feeling Blaire beginning to quake with anger.

"I didn't wanna scare you."

Oh, this thing was fucking priceless. Dean slapped Sam on the knee and stood up, Blaire knowing he'd gotten the message.

"Well...bang-up job on that." He said, Sam grimacing and looking to his hands.

"Dean, the yellow-eyed demon..." He began, "You know he has plans for me. And we all know he's turned other children into killers before too."

"No-one can control you but you." Dean told him.

Damn...Dean was doing pretty good at this. Blaire didn't know how long she could keep this up for; this lie, this pretence that they believed the creature inside her brother.

"Sure doesn't seem like that, Dean." Sam continued, "It feels like no matter what I do, slowly but surely, I'm...I'm just becoming..."

"What?" Blaire asked.

"Who I'm meant to be." Sam replied, "I mean, you said it once yourself, Dean! I gotta face up to who I am."

"I didn't mean this!" Dean yelled, Sam standing up while Blaire braced herself.

"But it's still true!" Sam replied, "You know that! Dad knew that too. That's why he told you if it ever came to this."

"Shut up, Sam." Dean said.

Blaire felt tears pooling in her eyes as she stared at the two men she loved more than anything in the world. Two brothers breaking and falling apart, one currently being possessed while the other one didn't really quite know what to do. Dean's mask was beginning to break.

"Dean, you promised him." Sam said, "You promised me."

Dean looked down and Blaire wiped her eyes, unable to believe that this was even being brought up.

"No." Dean replied, "Listen to me. We're gonna figure this out, okay? I mean, there's gotta be a way, right?"

"Exactly." Blaire added weakly.

"Yeah, there is." Sam said, taking Dean's gun and pressing it against his chest, offering it to him, "I don't wanna hurt anyone else. I don't wanna hurt you or Blaire."

"You won't." Dean replied, trying not to break at the sight of his brother's anguished face whether he was possessed or not, "Whatever this is, you can fight it."

_"Fight it, Sam." _Blaire thought, _"Fight it, baby boy...fight it..." _

"No. I can't." Sam replied, both Dean and Blaire picking up how much this thing wanted to get Dean to kill Sam, "Not forever. Here you gotta do it."

Dean just stood staring at Sam who forced the gun into his hand. Blaire stood and walked over to Dean's side, her heart racing in her chest at the thought of the bloodshed this could lead to.

"You know, I've tried so hard to keep you safe." Dean said, "So has Blaire."

"I know." Sam replied, both he and Dean sharing tearful looks.

"I can't." Dean whispered, "I'd rather die."

Blaire turned away and covered her mouth with one hand, fighting a sob that was just waiting to escape her lips. She couldn't cry. She had to be strong right now; she could not cry.

"No." Sam said quietly, "You'll live."

Dean and Blaire turned at the words, watching Sam pick up the gun.

"You'll live to regret this." He said, suddenly swinging around and hitting Dean in the face with the gun.

He looked at Blaire and headed for the door regardless, Blaire running straight after him only for her to be hit too. She fell to the floor, consciousness fading in degrees as she tried to register what had just happened. She'd been right. Sam wasn't Sam at all. Her heart thundered in her chest for a moment, eyes fluttering as she slipped into darkness. She and Dean had to keep strong and fight...

They had to find Sam.

-TBC-

* * *

**Duh, duh, duhhhhhhh! **

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for all the support so far! It means a lot! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**

* * *

The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

The pain in Blaire's head was pounding over and over as she staggered into the motel room's bathroom, looking in the mirror at the gorgeous bruise she'd got on the side of her forehead. It was ugly, purple and angry, a little cut to accompany it along with a thin streak of dried blood which now she had to scrub off. She knew her brother wasn't quite himself and now she had to wake Dean and get Sam back, before he hurt someone else.

She dabbed her skin gently, wincing with every movement she made against that angry bump on her head. She found her hip-flask and took a decent amount of whiskey down before shaking her head which made it hurt even more. Painkillers. That was what she needed. She opened the cabinet and found what she was looking for, taking the painkillers swiftly before looking up as someone began to knock on the door.

* * *

Dean had paid the motel manager to let him use the computer to try to track Sam's phone. Losing the money to the guy was a damn sight better than what he was proposing with Blaire, and as much as Blaire loved Sam, she couldn't let some disgusting bastard sleep with her for it.

"But see, Sammy is a diabetic," Dean was saying as he spoke on the phone, "And if he doesn't get his insulin, then I just...uh...I have to find him."

Blaire sighed, scrubbing a hand over her paling face as she thought of where Sam would go...well, the thing that was Sam. With a defeated sigh she headed outside, waiting for Dean to finish his conversation and to hopefully track Sam.

"He's in Duluth, Minnesota!" Dean called, Blaire grimacing in response.

"Holy shit..." She breathed, "Ellen and Jo..."

* * *

Dean was sending Blaire in first, and they both knew Jo was in danger. Blaire managed to sneak in through the door, watching her the thing that was possessing brother tying Jo up.

"HEY!" She yelled, meeting the eyes of the creature, "Leave her alone, you son of a bitch."

"Ah...Blaire..." The demon said, tilting it's head and sighing, "You just don't give up, do you?"

"No. Now get the fuck outta my brother." Blaire spat, the demon moving closer and going to grab her, Blaire suddenly realising that she couldn't move.

"Easy..." It said as she tried to free herself of its hold, "Atta girl...nice and easy..."

That's when he lowered her to the floor, Blaire completely out of control of her own actions. All she could do right now was pray that Dean would realise something was wrong and come inside. She could only pray that by speaking to Sam, he'd come through and be able to fight the damn thing out of him.

"Sam..." She whimpered, tears forming in her eyes, "Please don't do this..."

The demon seemed to stall for a second before he unfastened her jeans, Blaire trying her best to move but she was paralysed, partially through fear and through the demon's power. She closed her eyes and turned her head away, realising that she was being lifted up for her jeans to be pulled down. She panicked and let out a sob, the demon inside Sam unfastening his own jeans and settling above her.

"Look at me..." It breathed with a sing-song tone, "Look at me, Blaire..."

Blaire opened her eyes and it turned her face so she was making eye contact with it. This creature was about to rape her and it was in her brother's body. She couldn't bear to look at it; it was just like staring at Sam, and she didn't know how long she had before he did something horrible to her.

"Be a good girl and don't make a sound."

That's when the bang came and Blaire cried with relief, the demon being shocked and turning on the puppy eyes that Sam always had, rushing over and grabbing the knife to threaten poor Jo.

"Sam!" Dean yelled, Blaire fastening her jeans up and rolling out of the way before Dean could notice anything, and pulling out her gun.

"I begged you to stop me, Dean!" The demon yelled, Blaire's heart breaking at the sight of her possessed brother.

"Put the knife down, damnit." Dean said shakily.

"I told you, I can't fight it!"

One of the older Winchesters had to throw the holy water, because Jo's life was at risk, and if this went on any longer, someone was going to get hurt who didn't need to be.

"My head feels like it's on fire, alright?" The demon cried, the gun beginning to shake in Blaire's hands, "Dean, kill me or I'm gonna kill her!"

_"No..."_ She thought, _"It's not Sam. It's not Sam!" _

Dean stepped forward to say something but was cut off when the demon continued, it's lies so easy and so malicious in their own way that Blaire had to fight a lump in her throat.

"Please! You'll be doing me a favour!" The demon pleaded, "Shoot me. SHOOT ME!"

"No, Sammy. Come on." Dean said softly, turning away from Sam which gave Blaire the signal.

She knew what was going to happen and she braced herself for what could come next.

"What the hell's wrong with you, Dean?" The demon asked, "Are you that scared of being alone that you'd rather let Jo die?"

And that was when Dean turned and sprayed the demon in Sam with Holy Water, causing it to cry out in pain and recoil.

"That's Holy Water, you demonic son of a bitch!" Dean yelled, Blaire watching as the demon turned and snarled, Dean not holding back before spraying the bastard with more Holy Water.

It proceeded to jump out of a window, Dean heading after it while Blaire dealt with Jo, untying her and removing the gag from her mouth.

"He was possessed?" Jo asked, Blaire ignoring her and cocking her gun, "Blaire!"

The middle Winchester followed her brothers, looking where she could for Dean. It was like a trying to find a needle in a haystack for a while but when she found Dean, he simply gave her a look, telling her to go back to Jo. And she did, a little reluctantly.

"Blaire, what the fuck just happened?" Jo asked, Blaire grabbing her and pinning her to the post she'd just been tied to.

"Yes, he's possessed, Jo!" She yelled, "Why the fuck d'you think I told it to get outta my brother? Why do you think it went to rape me! Sam would never do that in a million years, so of course he's fucking possessed!"

And that was the moment that Blaire just broke down, dropping to her knees and crying so heavily she thought she was going to throw up.

"Hey, take it easy..." Jo said softly, realising that perhaps being so harsh and impatient was a mistake, given what had just happened, "Look, we need to follow them, okay? They could get hurt..."

"I know that. Dean wanted me here to take care of you." Blaire cried, taking a drink of whiskey and trying to dry her eyes, "Fuck this, I'm not sitting here..."

"Let me get geared up." Jo replied, grabbing her jacket while Blaire loaded one of her handguns for the other hunter, "Thanks."

"C'mon."

Armed with ammo, flashlights, cell phones and guns, Jo and Blaire walked through the area where Dean and Sam had just been, Blaire growling when she couldn't get through to Dean's phone. They got onto the dock, Blaire trying again and gasping as she heard the ringtone. She looked around, as Jo did, both of them spotting Dean laying on his front on the dock.

"Dean!" Blaire cried, rushing for her brother and going to lift him up with Jo's help before he coughed and groaned in pain, "Easy, sweetheart...easy..."

"Where's Sam?" Dean asked as he took in a shaky breath.

"We don't know." Jo replied, "We've been looking for you. Come on, get up."

The two girls helped Dean stand, Blaire's chest tightening and the pained sounds that escaped her brother's lips. He could barely walk so it was a damn good job two of them were there instead of just one of them.

* * *

"Okay..." Blaire soothed, holding Dean's hand as Jo removed the bullet from his shoulder, "Stop being such a girl!"

"God..." Dean growled, "You try having a bullet in your shoulder."

"Thanks, I might one day." Blaire replied.

"Alright, got it." Jo said softly, "Got it."

Dean took a drink of whiskey, Blaire pressing a kiss to his cheek to calm him a little more.

"You're a butcher." He told Jo, the young woman scowling in response while Blaire smacked Dean's good arm.

"You're welcome." Jo replied, Blaire smacking Dean's hand.

"Ungrateful jerk." She growled.

"Alright, are we done?" Dean asked.

"Would you give me two minutes to patch you up?" Jo snapped, Dean raising an eyebrow at his sister, "You can't help Sam if you're bleeding to death."

"She told you." Blaire smiled, getting up and leaving the pair to it for a moment.

She walked out of the bar towards the Impala, wrapping her arms around herself as tears filled her eyes. She needed someone right now, someone to hold her and promise her everything would be okay. She needed the reassurance that Sam was going to be fine and that they'd get the demon out of him. She needed to be able to tell Dean what had happened to her with Sam because she didn't know if she could face Sam alone after this. It wasn't Sam's fault but just being near him would creep her out.

"Come on, Blaire." A voice said, Blaire jumping as Dean joined her by the car, "Something you wanna tell me while we're on the way to Bobby's?"

"Huh?" Blaire asked, Dean chuckling in response as they got into the Impala.

"Jo told me I should talk to you." He said, Blaire wincing as she looked at the dressing on his shoulder, "So, what's up?"

"Um..." The middle Winchester began, looking to her brother before she felt that familiar sting of tears, looking away as though ashamed by her fear, "Before...before you came in...um..."

"What?" Dean asked, Blaire sighing and looking to the roof of the car as one tear fell down her face, "What happened?"

"The demon tried to rape me..." Blaire breathed, "Left me practically paralysed with it's power, unfastened my jeans and pulled them halfway down my legs before unfastening his own...made me look at him..."

"Oh my God..." Dean breathed, "Blaire..."

"Just don't." Blaire sobbed, wiping her eyes and trying to calm herself, "We just gotta get to Bobby and save him before Sam kills him."

* * *

The Winchester siblings and Bobby waited for the demon in Sam to wake up, Dean getting impatient before slapping the demon's face.

"Hey!"

It was morning, and the three hunters stood preparing to exorcise the demon the hell outta Sam. Blaire couldn't stand to see Dean hitting their baby brother that way, whether he was possessed or not. Sam could still feel it, and knowing that was too much for the middle Winchester to deal with. They looked up, hinting for the demon to look up too, only for him to smirk in response. Bobby saw the worried look on the siblings' faces and new the only person who would accept any kind of comfort right now would be Blaire, and he just reached around her and rubbed her back gently, letting her know that things were under control and that everyone would be alright. That was enough for now.

"Dean." The demon said in a low voice, "Back from the dead. Getting to be a regular thing for you, isn't it? Like a cockroach."

"How about I smack that smart-ass right out of your mouth?" Dean asked.

"Oh, careful, now." The demon warned, "Wouldn't wanna bruise the fine packaging."

"Oh, don't worry," Dean replied, "This isn't gonna hurt Sam much."

_"But it is!" _Blaire thought, _"Of course it is!" _

"You on the other hand." Dean said, throwing a bucket of Holy Water over the demon's chest.

The pain in the voice sounded so much like Sam's that Blaire's chest constricted at the sound of it, and even though she knew that Hell's scum was currently wearing her brother, she couldn't help but wince at the cries of pain that were so much like Sam's it was ridiculous.

"Feel like talkin' now?" Dean asked, Blaire wanting desperately to leave the room.

"It's okay." Bobby whispered to her, "Dean's got this covered, it's fine..."

"Sam's still my meat puppet." The demon replied, "I'll make him bite off his tongue."

"No, you won't." Blaire snapped, "You won't be in him long enough."

She turned to the man she considered a father.

"Bobby..."

He began the ritual and all Dean and Blaire could do was stand and watch, Blaire fighting back pained tears as she moved closer to her brother.

"See, whatever bitch-boy master plan you demons are cooking up..." Dean began, "You're not getting Sam. You understand me? Because I'm gonna kill every one of you first."

Then the fucking thing started to laugh and Blaire just closed her eyes, covering her mouth and turning away from it. She covered her ears and just wanted it to stop. All of it was building up like a horrible crescendo in her head, blood rushing mixed with a racing heart and thundering pulse, words from Bobby and laughs from the demon while Dean's tension filled the air.

"You really think that's what this is about?" The thing in the chair asked, "The master plan? I don't give a rat's ass about the master plan!"

Bobby carried on reading and yet nothing happened to the demon.

"Oops." He said, "Doesn't seem to be working. See...I learned a few new tricks."

Then the demon began speaking in Latin and the room started to shake, Dean and Bobby being thrown to the sides before they noticed the brand on it's arm. But no-one, not even Blaire herself expected what was coming next. There was a sudden anger that built inside her, a sudden feeling of utter strength and power rushing through her system. She screamed, but not a high pitched one. It came like a roar, filling the whole room as she turned to face the demon itself, the creature breaking free of the chair and standing to face her.

She started spitting words out in Latin, and without a flicker of fear went straight to the demon inhabiting her brother and grabbed him by the hair, pure strength forcing him to his knees which seemed to come from nowhere. The spitting of words turned to screaming, Latin being roared into the room through pain and anguish, Blaire's eyes turning black as she pressed her palm to Sam's forehead. Suddenly smoke shot from Sam's mouth, heading up through Bobby's fireplace while Blaire just dropped to her knees, eyes rolling as she fell to the floor unconscious.

* * *

"Blaire?" Dean whispered, "Come on, sweetie...wake up..."

Blaire stirred and grimaced, Dean smiling weakly yet still terrified by what had happened to her back then. She'd just become this screaming mess who'd managed to exorcise the demon from Sam's body with her bare hands. Dean prayed to God that she wouldn't remember. They all did.

"Dean?"

"Hey, baby..." Dean breathed, "Good to see you, Blaire..."

"What happened to me?" She asked, "My head hurts..."

Dean shared looks with Sam as Blaire closed her eyes again before he quickly came up with an excuse.

"Sam hit you over the head when he was...well...possessed."

Blaire chuckled and sat up, meeting Sam's eyes before avoiding them quickly and getting up slowly with the help of Dean.

"Let's get you some ice for your head, honey." Bobby said softly, taking the girl by the arms gently and leading her to the kitchen.

Sam took in the look in Blaire's eyes, knowing that something was horribly wrong. Dean turned and watch Sam go to approach her, the youngest Winchester knowing that whatever had happened to her must've been bad. He remembered hitting her with the gun...maybe that was the problem.

"Blaire?"

He went to put a hand on her shoulder but she flinched and walked away from him, Dean coming closer to him and pulling him to one side.

"Why won't she let me touch her?" Sam asked, "What did I do?"

Dean sighed. He didn't quite know how he was going to break this to his brother, but he had no choice. Sam had to know the truth so he could understand exactly why Blaire was behaving the way she was around him.

"Sam...when you were possessed..." He began, biting his lip and scrubbing a hand over her face, "You...um..."

"Dean...?" Sam asked, tears filling his eyes, "Dean, what did I do to her?"

Dean looked up at his younger brother and sighed, lower lip trembling as he fought back tears himself.

"You almost raped her, Sam..."

Sam's jaw dropped and a tear fell down his face. He'd never...Oh, dear God, no wonder Blaire couldn't bear to have him touch her. He had to ask a question that would let him know how severely he'd attacked her.

"Did you find her?" He asked, earning a nod, "Was...was she...naked...or...?"

"No." Dean replied, "Her jeans were half way down her legs and yours were unfastened, but...I didn't see that...she told me when we set off to Bobby's. Jo saw the whole thing...didn't feel it was her place to tell me though, so I had to find out from Blaire."

"Oh, my God..." Sam breathed, sitting down and breaking into tears, looking up as a familiar hand covered his own.

"Sam...?"

Sam looked to see his sister sitting there, tears streaming down her face. Her smile was weak, but it was there, and Sam knew she was desperately trying to remember that it wasn't Sam who'd done that to her. But it was Sam's body that had touched her in that way, and that had settled above her like that. She pressed the ice pack to her head and grimaced in pain, Sam biting his lip and turning properly to face her.

"Blaire, I'm...I'm so sorry..."

"Shhh," Blaire soothed, resting a shaking hand on Sam's face nervously, "It wasn't you...I understand that you had no control over it..."

"But, Blaire..."

"Sam, it's okay. Really."

With that, Blaire stood up and walked away, Sam just looking to Dean who looked back down at him.

"Go after her...please..." Sam begged, "Let me know if she's really okay..."

Dean got up and followed his sister, going to take her arm gently.

"Blaire?"

"I said, it's okay."

"Here." Bobby said as he entered the room, which broke the tension a little, "Take these."

He placed something into the siblings' hands and grimaced at Blaire as she put the pack down and winced at the pain in her head.

"What are they?" Sam asked.

"Charms." Bobby replied, "They'll fend off possession. That demon's still out there. This'll stop it from getting back up in you."

"That sounds vaguely dirty, but thanks." Dean said, the others chuckling in response.

"You're welcome." Bobby said softly, smiling at Blaire who blinked slowly because of her headache.

"How did you get rid of it?" Blaire asked, "The demon? How did it leave?"

"Um..." Dean replied, "We burned a brand off his arm and it just kinda took off..."

"Oh." Blaire said softly, "Wow..."

"You kids be careful now." Bobby told them, not surprised when Blaire went to hug him, "Take care, sweetie."

"You too, okay?" Blaire said softly, kissing her surrogate father's cheek, "Bye, Bobby."

* * *

The Winchesters sped down the highway, Blaire curled up on the backseat to sleep off her headache while Sam and Dean shared concerned looks. What Dean and Bobby had seen had terrified them both, and neither of them truly knew what was happening to Blaire. Just hearing about it had sent Sam's skin crawling.

"What the hell happened back there?" Sam whispered, Dean shaking his head.

"I don't know. But we don't tell her, okay?" He whispered back, "She's got enough crap going on in her head without that on top. Besides...I don't ever wanna see her do it again."

"But she might." Sam replied, Dean sighing and nodding in response.

"Well, let's just hope if she does that she doesn't remember, huh?"

Sam nodded and bit his lip, looking to his sister who was sleeping peacefully for once in the backseat of the car. Her hand fell from the seat and he saw in the rear-view mirror, bravely reaching around with his own large hand and taking her tiny one in his own, rubbing it gently with his thumb. He had to try and make ammends with her, to try and help her feel safe around him again. He hated to see her afraid of him, and he'd do all he could to help her.

As for Dean, the display from his sister had been purely terrifying, and he was completely unsure of what to make of it. But as usual, he pushed it down deep inside of him and locked it away for as long as he could.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for all the support so far! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Wooooo! My fave episode of Season 2 now! And I've named the janitor for a reason, which you'll find out in this chapter! The flashbacks are in italics.

So glad to be writing again! And I hope you enjoy the chapter!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

* * *

**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Blaire left the bathroom in her pink shirt and black tank top, jeans slowly ripping at the knees, Sam noticed as he looked up from his book. No-one had spoken about Blaire's strange outburst since it had happened and she was still very much unaware of it.

"Did I ever tell you how nice you look in blue?" She asked, Sam smiling in response.

"Thank you." He said softly, Blaire sitting by him and kissing his cheek.

He was just grateful that they were getting back to normal after what had happened between them. Sunlight streamed through the window of their dingy red and green hotel room, the younger Winchesters watching Dean as he ate with small moan-like sounds on Sam's bed.

"Dude..." Sam breathed, "Do you mind not eating those on my bed?"

"No, I don't mind." Dean replied, continuing to eat.

"Get off his bed, you jerk!" Blaire snapped, "On your own, right now!"

She pointed to Dean's bed, Dean rolling his eyes before moving only for his sister to settle right into the space where he'd been sitting.

"No way I'm sleeping on that couch!" Blaire huffed, "It's so damn small. I gotta bunk in with someone."

"If you help me research you can share with me." Sam said with a smile, suddenly worried that Blaire was too scared to.

It would be a surprise if she was, since he almost raped her.

"Gimme a book, baby boy." She said softly, Sam smiling at the nickname and throwing a book to her, "Thanks."

"Y'know this would go a hell of a lot faster." Sam said, Blaire nodding and glaring at Dean.

"If we had our computers!" She snapped, Dean just smiling in response, "And could you turn that radio down, please?"

"Yeah, absolutely." The older Winchester replied, watching Blaire tie her blonde curls into a ponytail before he turned up the radio in question.

"Y'know what, maybe you should just go somewhere for a while!" Sam yelled over the music, watching Blaire as she began to rub her temples with a furrowed brow.

She'd been getting the occasional migraine since the whole demon thing, and Sam knew another one was coming. Dean saw this and winced at his selfishness, turning off the radio.

"Hey, I'd love to." He said, "That's a great idea. Unfortunately, my car's all screwed to hell."

"Dean, I told you, we had nothing to do with..." Sam began, being cut off by a knock at the door.

He stood up and looked through the peep-hole to see a familiar face on the other side. As he opened it, Blaire saw the face and beamed at the sight.

"Hey, Bobby." Sam said.

"Hey, guys." Bobby replied, smiling as Blaire ran to him and embraced him, "Hey, Blaire."

"Bobby..." She hummed, hugging him close to her and smiling softly, "It's good to see you."

"And you." Bobby relied, Blaire letting go of him.

"Thanks for coming." Sam said, Bobby going over to greet Dean.

"So, what didn't you wanna talk to me on the phone about?" The older hunter asked.

"It's this job we're working on," Blaire began, "We weren't sure you'd bel..."

She stopped, closing her eyes and grimacing for a second before finishing her sentence.

"You'd believe us."

"Y'alright, sweetie?" Dean asked, earning a soft nod from his sister, "You're looking a little pale."

"M'fine." She replied quietly, drinking from her water bottle quickly.

"It's just, we've never seen like whatever it is we're hunting." Sam explained.

"Not even close." Dean added.

"We thought we could use some fresh eyes." She said softly.

"Well, why don't you begin at the beginning?" Bobby asked, Sam offering him a seat which meant he had to move one of Dean's plates that rested on the older Winchester's bed.

"So, it all started when we caught wind of an obit." Sam said, Blaire taking the plate and nodding her head towards Dean which made Bobby smile, "See, a professor took a nosedive from a fourth-storey window. Only there's a campus legend that the building's haunted."

Blaire gripped Dean's arm suddenly which made him jump.

"Heat pack, please..." She breathed, Bobby and Sam sharing concerned looks as she rested a hand on her forehead in pain.

The young woman reached blindly for her painkillers, taking a couple with her water as Dean wrapped a ready and waiting hot wash cloth around her head.

"So, we said we were reporters from the local paper." Sam continued.

* * *

"_Yeah, we both had the professor for _Ethics and Morality_." The student Sam was questioning said as he, and two students sat in a bar. _

_Blaire and Dean were elsewhere questioning others. _

"_Yeah?" Sam asked, "So why do you think he did it?" _

"_Who knows?" The other student said, "He was tenured, wife and kids...his book was a really big deal." _

_Sam nodded, looking up as Blaire made her way around to the bar casually, ordering herself a drink and sitting close by. _

"_Then again, who's to say it was suicide?" The girl continued. _

"_Jen, come on..." The other boy began, leaving Sam intrigued._

_"Well, what else could it be?" Sam asked, Blaire listening as closely as she could. _

"_You know about Crawford Hall." Jen said, Sam biting his lip. _

"_No, I don't actually." He replied. _

"_It's a bunch of crap, the other kid chipped in, "A total urban legend." _

"_Yeah, well, Heather's mom went to school here and she knew the girl." Jen replied, the answer intriguing both Blaire and Sam. _

"_What, what girl?" Sam asked. _

"_Like, thirty years ago," Jen began, "This girl was having an affair with some professor. He broke it off. She jumped out of a window and killed herself." _

"_You know her name?" Sam asked. _

"_No," Jen replied, "But they say she jumped from room six-six-nine. Get it? You turn the nine upside down..." _

_Blaire almost spat her drink out at the theory and had to swallow it, her face twisting into distaste as the burning of the whiskey hit the back of her throat. _

"_So, now she haunts the building," Jen said, "And anyone who sees her...they don't live to tell the tale." _

"_Well if no-one lives to tell the tale, then how does the tale get told?" The other student asked. _

"_Curtis, shut up!" Jen snapped, Sam catching the look that Blaire gave him. _

"_Y'know what? Thanks a lot, guys." Sam said with a smile, watching Blaire drink down the last of her whiskey, "Excuse ." _

_He went over to her and Blaire stood, looking a little wide eyed as she did. _

"_Okay, let's get Dean and leave." She breathed, "I got nothin' but a twenty dollar offer for a blow job." _

"_Nice..." Sam said, heading over to Dean with his sister in tow to find him downing three shots of something that they didn't recognise. _

"_Dean, what are you...?" Blaire began. _

"_What are you drinking?" Sam asked. _

"_I don't know, man." Dean grinned, "I think they're called purple nurples..." _

"_Listen, I think we should check out the professor's office." Sam said, Dean interrupting him. _

"_Oh, no, no, no, no, no..." Dean breathed, "I can't right now, 'cause I got some feisty little wildcat on the hook. I'm about to...reel her in." _

_Blaire tutted and leaned against the bar, looking at the girl Dean was talking about. _

"_Dude, you can do better." She said, Dean rolling his eyes and looking up at Sam._

"_I'll introduce you." _

"_Dean..." _

"_Starla!" Dean called, "Starla, hey!" _

_The girl turned, Blaire and Sam raising eyebrows as she did. _

"_This is my shuttle copilot, Major Tom." Dean began, "Major Tom, Starla." _

"_Who's the girl?" Starla asked. _

"_No-one important." Dean replied, Blaire looking down in shame at the remark. _

_Sam slid his hand into hers but she just turned and walked away, the younger Winchester left glaring at his brother. _

* * *

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a minute..." Dean said, interrupting the story with the others looking at him with confusion.

"What?" Sam asked.

"C'mon, dude, that's not how it happened!" Dean protested.

"No? So you never drank a purple nurple?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, maybe that." Dean replied, "But I never said Blaire was no-one important."

"Yeah, you did." Blaire said quietly, Bobby sighing softly at the look in her eyes.

"Awww, baby, I'm sorry..." Dean sighed, going to touch her arm only for her to flinch away, "I don't say things like 'feisty wildcat'. Her name wasn't Starla."

"Then what was it?" Sam asked with a smirk.

"I don't know." Dean replied, looking to Bobby, "But she was a classy chick. She was a grad student: _Anthropology and Folklore_. We were talking about local ghost stories..."

Poor Blaire sat with tears in her eyes as pain began to envelope her head, but as soon as Dean began to do an impression of Sam, she burst out laughing, only because it was so untrue.

"Okay, what's going on with you three?" Bobby asked.

"Nothing, it's nothing." Sam replied, everyone looking up as a sob escaped Blaire's lips.

"Sweetie, y'okay?" Dean asked, watching as Blaire shook her head and kept her hands over her face, "C'mon."

He drew the curtains and Sam turned on the wall lamps at the far end of the room, Dean laying Blaire in bed and stroking her face, resting a hand on her stomach. Bobby and Sam moved closer to the light, Dean joining them as they continued to talk in whispers so as not to disturb Blaire through her migraine.

"So, anyway, we figured it might be a haunting..." Sam began, "So we went to check out the scene of the crime."

* * *

"_So, how long you been working here?" Sam asked as the janitor, Jay, took them around the building. _

"_Been mopping this floor for six years," He replied, Blaire smiling at how cute he was. _

_He had a cheeky, impish kind of look about him, and he only stood an inch or so taller than her. He was absolutely adorable in her opinion, and she found herself barely able to take her eyes off of him. His smile was just so cheeky and cute she found herself having to fight back an 'Awww' every time he did. _

"_There you go, guys." He said, unlocking the office door and letting the Winchesters in. _

_He flicked a light on and watched as Blaire entered, amazed by how gorgeous she was. He'd never seen anyone with eyes quite like hers before. They were glazed with sadness, but they were so incredibly beautiful he found it hard to look away from her. Sam fired up his EMF meter, while Blaire checked out the hot little guy before her. _

"_What the heck's that for?" Jay asked, Sam smiling. _

"_Just finding wires in the walls." Sam replied. _

"_Well, m'not sure why you're wiring up this office." Jay said, "Not gonna do the professor much good." _

"_Why's that?" Dean asked. _

"_He's dead." Jay replied, Blaire grimacing in response. _

_She knew this was coming but pretended to be shocked. All part of the act.  
_

_"Wow...what happened?" She asked, letting the hot little janitor walk her forward a little. _

"_He went out of that window, right there." He said. _

"_Yeah?" Sam asked, like it was the coolest thing on earth, "Were you working that night?" _

"_I'm the one who found him." Jay replied. _

_Blaire bit her lip and leaned on the desk, moving her hair over her shoulder. _

"_God, that must've been horrible..." She said softly, keeping eye contact with him for as long as possible, only for a twinkle to cross his eyes in response. _

"_Just saw him come up here and uh..." He bowed his head with a cheeky grin which sent a tingling sensation rushing through Blaire's legs. _

_She was getting attracted; she could feel it, and she felt a little bad about that, what with her experience with Ash, but it wasn't like those two were dating or anything. She was allowed to like other men, right? After all, she barely got any chances to be with men because of her brother's attitudes and feelings towards that, Dean's in particular. _

_Sam grinned, looking to Jay with bright, sparkling eyes. _

"_What?" He asked, his smile broadening a little as Jay looked back up at them. _

"_He wasn't alone." He said with a tone which gave everyone a hint about what he meant. _

_Blaire bit her lip in response to the remark, turning and gasping as she was met with Dean who was eating a mouthful of something, his cheeks so full that he looked kind of like a hamster. The greedy bastard. He couldn't stay away from food for more than five minutes. He was terrible for that, and she hoped and prayed he wouldn't start talking with his mouth so goddamn full. That would be plain embarrassing. Besides, he could choke with the amount of whatever it was stuck in his mouth. _

"_Who was he with?" _

_Blaire had thought too soon, and she nudged her brother earning a glare from him which she returned with a scowl. _

"_Don't talk with your mouth full, you animal." She hissed, turning to Jay who was getting ready to answer the question. _

_They looked at one another for a moment, Jay's eyes twinkling before he gave her a sly wink which she'd hoped her brothers had missed. _

"_He was with a young lady." He revealed, not taking his eyes from the middle Winchester's as she listened intently. _

_God, those eyes. They were just so uniquely coloured. They were stunning; absolutely stunning, and Jay knew what he had to do after they'd finished in this room. He'd ask her out. He was surprised by how much he actually liked her. He thought her to be one of the most gorgeous women he'd every laid his eyes on and he desperately wanted to see more of her. _

"_I told the cops about her." He continued, finally breaking away from Blaire's eyes, "But I guess they never found her." _

"_You saw this girl go in, huh?" Sam asked, that little smirk still there on his face, "But did you ever see her come out?" _

"_Now that you mention it..." Jay replied thoughtfully, "No." _

_Blaire pushed her body up a little as she leaned on the desk. _

"_You ever see her around before?" She asked, her top giving the hot little janitor a really good view of her amazing cleavage, Dean glaring at her a little. _

_He hated it if she put out like that. It seemed to him that she felt like she had to do that, like she couldn't get a guy if she didn't and that wasn't true. She didn't get guys because...because of him. He was too protective of her. He expected more from her, like John always had and that limited her to what she could and couldn't do. She was an adult. She didn't need limitations on her life, and he'd always been selfish enough to take things away from her. _

"_Not her." Jay replied. _

"_What do you mean?" Dean asked, Blaire and Sam rolling their eyes in response as he shoved another candy in his mouth. _

"_Dude, you're disgusting." Blaire breathed, flushing out of embarrassment while Dean just shrugged. _

"_I don't mean to cast aspersions on a dead guy." Jay replied with a smirk, "But Mr. Morality here? He brought a lot of girls up here. Got more ass than a toilet seat." _

_Blaire couldn't fight her grin at the wittiness of the line while Dean and Sam laughed, Dean somehow shoving yet another candy in his mouth. Blaire met eyes with Jay again and smiled sweetly, Jay smiling back at her which made her heart beat faster in her chest. _

_His gorgeous eyes were just alight with little sparkles, a hint of mischievousness and fun there, almost childish like he was waiting to explode with energy. Dear God, Blaire needed some fun and energy after the past year. Her life had started to slope downhill, and she needed some uplifting. A date would be wonderful, but she didn't like to ask. Maybe God would bless her this night with a date with Jay; wonderful, cute, hot little Jay. _

"_One more thing," Sam began, "This building only has four storeys right?" _

_Jay smiled. _

"_Yeah." He replied, giving Blaire another quick glance which sent a soft blush sweeping across her cheeks. _

"_So there wouldn't be a room _669_?" Sam asked, Jay shaking his head a little. _

"_Of course not," He replied, Blaire smiling at how damn adorably cute his grin was, "Why do you ask?" _

"_Just curious." Sam said, "Thanks." _

"_Yeah." Jay replied, all of them going to head out of the door only for him to take Blaire's arm and pull her back a little. _

_He was going to ask her out, and he really hoped she'd say yes. Dean and Sam stopped on the stairs, both watching with great curiosity as Jay and Blaire interacted. _

"_Hey, I was just wondering..." Jay began, gazing into Blaire's big, beautiful eyes, "You free tomorrow night? About eight-ish?" _

"_Uh, I think so." Blaire replied with a gentle smile, "Why do ask?" _

"_I'd like to take you out for a drink...get to know you a little more." He said softly, "I'd like to look into those gorgeous eyes of yours a little more too." _

_Blaire blushed and giggled, Jay smiling in response and watching as her eyes sparkled. She pulled out a card from her pocket and passed it to him, letting the touch that she held on his hand linger for a little while as she did. _

"_A drink sounds great." She replied, "I'll be ready for eight." _

_He looked at the number and smiled, looking back into her eyes and grinning at her before taking her hand and kissing it softly which made her giggle and blush again. _

"_I'll look forward to it." He said, "Where do you wanna meet?" _

"_How about I come here...?" Blaire asked, trying to avoid Jay having to come to the motel. _

_To her surprise he nodded and squeezed her hand. _

"_That suits me fine." He said softly, "See you tomorrow then, Blaire." _

"_See you tomorrow, Jay." Blaire replied quietly, leaving the room and sighing dreamily as she headed down to her brothers, the three of them making their way out of the building. _

_They got to the street, Blaire unable to contain her giggles and squeaks of delight as she jumped up and down excitedly. _

"_Oh, my God," She breathed, "I've got a date tomorrow night! A date! I'm going on a date!" _

_She was so happy that Dean and Sam couldn't fight their smiles. Something as simple as going on her date had made her light up like a kid on Christmas morning, and the brothers thought it was such a beautiful thing to see her so happy. _

"_Oh, fuck! I've gotta get something to wear!" She cried, Dean taking her arm gently. _

"_Easy, tiger..." He said quietly, "You can wear your little purple set you bought, remember? That dress, those shoes...even that underwear if you get lucky." _

_Blaire grinned her face off and Dean laughed when she hugged him tight. This was the Blaire he liked to see, the happy, smiley, excited one. Not the one that was frightened and vulnerable, unhappy and worried. Maybe this date would do her the world of good, and they made their way back to the motel, Blaire smiling the whole way. _

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for reading so far! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

* * *

**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

_Upon entrance to the motel room, Sam and Dean were discussing the case while Blaire just daydreamed about her date with Jay. Cute, cheeky, sexy Jay... _

"_Well, no traces of EMF, that's for sure." Sam said, Dean looking at Blaire who still had a lazy grin on her face. _

"_And that room 669's a load of crap." Dean added, Sam sitting at the table while Dean went for a beer, Blaire humming as she wandered past which earned her raised eyebrows from her brothers. _

_She sat herself on the bed and sighed, staring into space and completely oblivious to what was going on around her. _

"_So, what do you think, the professor's just a jumper?" Sam asked, taking his coat off, "Legend's just a legend?" _

"_I don't know." Dean replied, "I mean, the girl Jay described, that's pretty weird." _

_At the very mention of his name, Blaire sighed dreamily, a big grin sweeping over her face at the thought of going on a date with him. _

"_Yeah." Sam replied, looking to Dean and nodding towards Blaire. _

"_Blaire, look alive." Dean chuckled, Blaire blinking lazily at him and grinning. _

"_Oh, I'm alive..." She whispered, winking at him which made Sam smile. _

"_Yeah, uh, we ought to check out the history of the building." Dean continued, "See if any coed ganked herself there." _

_He went towards the bathroom, Sam opening his laptop while Blaire pulled out her dress and shoes. _

"_Hope I got some matching make-up..." She mumbled, looking up as Sam began to speak. _

"_Dude, were you on my computer?" He asked Dean, the oldest Winchester reappearing and looking a little puzzled. _

"_No." _

"_Oh, really?" Sam asked, "'Cause it's frozen now on bustyasianbeauties . com..." _

_There was silence and Sam glared at Blaire who was hiding her pretty little face behind her dress, laughing silently into it, the laughter escaping when she saw the look on Dean's face.  
_

_"Dean, you're gross!" _

"_Dean, just...don't touch my stuff anymore, okay?" Sam called, Dean returning with a mad look on his face. _

"_Why don't you control your OCD?" _

* * *

"But did you dig up anything about the building?" Bobby asked, "Or on the suicidal coed?"

"No..." Sam replied, "History's clean."

They turned as Blaire stirred on the bed, Bobby going over and sitting by her side, smiling softly at her as she did.

"Hey, Bobby..." She whispered, sighing as he stroked her hair gently.

"You got yourself a date, huh?" He asked, Blaire nodding lightly and beaming.

"That I did, Bobby." She beamed, "That I did."

"You okay to get up?" He asked, Blaire nodding in response.

He helped her sit, smiling as she ran a hand through her hair and stood slowly, Bobby returning to look at the others while Blaire woke herself up. She hadn't slept for very long, but at least she felt better.

"Well it's not a haunting..." The older hunter said, Blaire watching as everyone paced the room.

"Guys, you look like you have ants in your pants." She mumbled, chuckling to herself at the thought of them all with real ants in their pants.

"Maybe not." Dean said, answering Bobby's remark, "Tell you the truth, we're not sure."

"What do you mean you're not sure?" Bobby asked.

"Well...it's weird..." Sam said.

"What's weird?" Bobby asked, Dean glaring at Blaire a little before continuing.

"This next part, we didn't see it happen ourselves exactly...but it's pretty frigging weird, even for us." Dean explained, "And some part in this story later, Sam and I are both grateful we didn't see."

With that they both looked to Blaire who blushed, looking away from them and listening as they explained to Bobby.

"Aliens?" He asked, Blaire nodding.

"Yeah."

"_Aliens_?" He asked with more confusion, the Winchesters answering in unison.

"Yeah!"

"Look, even if they are real, they're sure as hell not coming to Earth and swiping people." Bobby said, Dean looking a little affronted by that.

"Hey, believe me. We know." He replied.

"My whole life, I've never found evidence of an honest-to-God abduction." Bobby explained, "It's all just cranks and pranks."

"Nice one." Blaire replied, Bobby giving her a funny look.

"You been on the happy pills?" He asked, Blaire shaking her head and still smiling like an idiot.

"No...something better." She replied.

Good God, it had been so much better than friggin' happy pills. She got chills just thinking about it.

"Let's not go there yet, please!" Dean breathed, Sam breaking the arguing by talking to Bobby.

"We figured it'd be a good idea to at least talk to the guy this supposed abduction happened to." He said.

* * *

_Curtis was the person who thought he'd been abducted, and as he sat shaken and unnerved, taking down shots of alcohol, Dean breaking the silence with a comment that Blaire knew instantly was ridiculous. _

"_Hey, you gotta give those purple nurples a shot." _

_Sam cleared his throat, Dean rolling his eyes while Blaire nudged him slightly, fighting back a laugh. _

"_So, what happened, Curtis?" Sam asked, Curtis looking a little bitter. _

"_You won't believe me. Nobody does." He replied, Blaire huffing which caught his attention. _

"_Try us, huh?" She said softly. _

_She was just trying to be kind. The poor kid looked absolutely terrified. _

"_I do not want this in the papers." Curtis began, picking up another shot and earning solemn nods from the others. _

"_Off the record then." Dean said, he and his siblings waiting for Curtis to be able to tell his story. _

_It seemed to take him a while, and this indicated to the siblings that he was pretty traumatised and shaken about what had happened to him. Whether it be genuine or a really bad hallucination, or whatever it had been, it had seriously screwed him up. Blaire felt bad for him. She understood about traumas, since she'd suffered with the trauma of losing her baby. She'd been a mess for so long and she was only just managing to get back on her feet now. _

"_I..." He began, "I blacked out, and...I lost time, and when I woke up, I don't know where I was." _

"_Then what?" Sam asked, sitting beside his brother and sister who were listening intently to what Curtis was saying. _

"_They did tests on me." Curtis said, voice breaking with emotion, "And, um..." _

_He took down another shot. _

"_They, um...they probed me." _

_The siblings had to hide their smiles and their giggles. Blaire bit down on her lip, Sam ran a hand through his hair and turned away, while Dean remained pretty serious which made Blaire want to laugh so much more. _

"_They probed you?" The oldest Winchester asked. _

"_Yeah, they probed me." Curtis replied, "I mean, again and again, and again, and..." _

_He looked like he was about to break down and cry and he took down another shot, Dean looking to Sam with an almost smile while Sam tried so hard to remain serious, but he looked so much like Clint Eastwood in his expression that Blaire fought a laugh again, coughing to cover it up. _

"_And again and again and again, and then one more time." Curtis continued. _

"_Yikes." Dean said with a straight face, Sam and Blaire sharing quick looks and almost breaking into laughter before Blaire pulled out her hip flask and took three massive gulps out of it. _

"_No, and that's not even the worst of it..." Curtis said, Dean looking confused. _

"_How can it get any worse?" He asked, "Some alien made you his bitch..." _

_Curtis glared at him while Sam and Blaire kept their serious expressions going, Blaire's failing with the occasional quiver of her lip and quirk of her eyebrow. _

"_They..." Curtis began, confused himself as to what he was about to say like he still couldn't believe that he'd experienced what he was about to tell the siblings, "They made me slow dance." _

* * *

"Wait...you guys are exaggerating again, huh?" Bobby asked, Dean, Sam and Blaire all answering in unison.

"No."

"Then this fratboy is just nuts..." Bobby said, Dean looking a little worried.

"We're not so sure."

Bobby looked to Blaire who was giggling in the corner, Dean and Sam also turning and watching as her laughter progressed into something larger and more beautiful to hear.

"What's so funny, bumpkin?" Dean asked, Blaire shaking her head in response.

"Slow dancing...a-a-aliens..." She gasped, wheezing out another laugh and almost bending double, "Pr-pr-probing..."

Bobby shot her a weird look and Dean just raised his hand to explain.

"She's kinda gone back to being a teenage girl after her whole _date_ and everything..." He said, emphasising the word 'date' as he did.

"Okay..." Bobby replied, "Why aren't you guys sure that this kid wasn't just nuts?"

* * *

_The Winchesters stood outside Crawford Hall, looking at the large piece of exposed dirt on the patchy grass lawn that looked so much like an impact crater it was unnerving. _

"_I'm telling you, guys," Sam began, "This was made by some kind of jet engine." _

"_What, you mean some saucer-shaped jet engine?" Dean asked incredulously._

"_Well, what else could it be?" Blaire asked, "I don't know of anything else that could make that shape. _

"_What the hell?" Dean asked, completely stumped. _

"_I don't know." Sam breathed, Blaire shrugging herself. _

"_No, seriously, kids, what the hell?" Dean asked again, Blaire rolling her eyes. _

"_We don't know!" She replied, "I mean, first the haunting...now this...? The timing alone, there's gotta be a connection here somewhere!" _

"_You mean, between the angry spirit and the sexed-up E.T?" Dean asked, "Come on, what could the connection possibly be?" _

_The siblings decided to keep digging around for answers, since they were all completely stumped. They found someone who knew Curtis and took their chance to ask questions. _

"_So you and this guy Curtis, you're in the same house?" Sam asked. _

"_Yeah." The boy replied, Blaire looking to the others before speaking, as though silently asking for permission. _

"_You heard what happened to him, right?" She asked, the boy nodding in response. _

"_Yeah, he says it was aliens, but, y'know, whatever." He replied, Dean about to speak before being cut off by Sam. _

"_Look, man...I know this all has to be so hard." _

_Blaire and Dean were a little confused as to what he was doing but decided to go along with whatever insane little plan he formulated in his head. _

"_Not so much." The boy replied, Sam's facial expression making Blaire bite back laughter. _

"_But I want you to know...I'm here for you." Sam said, "You brave little soldier. I acknowledge your pain." _

_He pulled the boy into a hug, Dean jumping as Blaire hugged him and pretended to weep. The poor kid though. He looked to frightened and unnerved by Sam's attack that Dean felt sorry for him. _

"_You're too precious for this world." Sam said, Blaire nodding in response.  
_

_"Amen." She whispered, Dean just patting her back and going along with it for the sake of it. _

* * *

"I never said that!" Sam protested.

"And I never said that either!" Blaire added, "I didn't hug you, you jerk!"

"You guys always say pansy stuff like that." Dean replied, Bobby eyeing them suspiciously, knowing damn well that something strange was going on.

The Winchesters were behaving in stupidly strange ways as they sat in his presence, arguing over the pettiest things and telling different versions of events they all saw at the same time. He didn't like it, and decided to just listen to the rest of the story and work it out later.

* * *

"_Well..." The boy breathed, stuttering before patting Sam's side, "Thanks. Thanks for the hug." _

"_Yeah." Sam replied, releasing the boy as Blaire let Dean go. _

"_But really, I'm okay." The boy continued, "But, to tell you the truth, whatever happened to Curtis...he had it coming." _

"_Why's that?" Dean asked. _

"_He's our pledge master." The boy answered, "Put us through hell this semester. Man, he got off on it. So now he knows how we feel." _

_As the siblings returned to the room, Blaire pushed past her brothers and ran to get showered, but not before throwing her clothes and make-up out onto the bed for her date. She absolutely _had _to look her best for Jay. _

"_It still doesn't make a lick of sense." Dean said, "But hey, at least there's one connection." _

"_Between what?" Sam asked. _

"_Victims." Dean replied, "The professor and frat guy. They're both dicks." _

"_That's a connection...?" Sam asked, Dean sitting in the chair and raising his eyebrow. _

"_You got anything better to go on, I'd love to hear it." He said, watching Blaire skid around excitedly, "Jesus, girl, calm down." _

"_Sorry..." She breathed, "I'm excited about my date, that's all. Is it a crime to be happy?" _

_Dean's chest constricted at the words. _Happy. _Blaire was _happy_. It wasn't his place to stop her from being happy so he left her alone to be as giggly and excited as she wanted. _

"_Where's my laptop." Sam asked suddenly, Dean looking a little guilty. _

"_I dunno." He replied, Sam thinking for a moment, "I mean, think about it. Philandering professor gets a dead girl. A pledge master gets hazed." _

"_I left it in here." Sam said.  
_

_"Well, you obviously didn't." Dean replied, ignoring Blaire's shout for them to shut the fuck up arguing, "I mean, these punishments, they're almost poetic. Actually, it'd be more like a limerick, but still..." _

"_Okay hilarious. Where'd you hide it?" Sam asked._

"_What, you're computer...?" Dean retorted. _

"_Where'd you hide it?" Sam asked again. _

"_Why would I take your computer?" Dean countered. _

"_No-one else could've. Blaire wouldn't. She respects my possessions, and doesn't use them for porn!" Sam snapped, "We keep the door locked. We never let any maids in." _

"_Looks like you lost it, Poindexter." Dean replied, Blaire able to hear the quarrelling going on outside the bathroom. _

_She sighed. Her brothers were so petty sometimes it made her feel sick. _

"_Dude, you know something? I put up with a lot from you." Sam said. _

"_What are you talking about? I'm a joy to be around!" Dean replied. _

"_Yeah, your dirty socks in the sink?" Sam began, Blaire rushing out of the bathroom wrapped in just a towel to see and recoiling in disgust. _

"_Eww! Dean!" She cried, "Get those outta there!" _

"_Your food in the fridge!" Sam yelled. _

"_What's wrong with my food?" Dean asked, Sam going ballistic. _

"_It's not food anymore, Dean!" He yelled, "It's Darwinism." _

"_I like it." Dean replied, Blaire slamming a hand on the table. _

"_Hey! I'm going out tonight, and I don't want to go with a friggin' headache, so stop yelling." She growled, the brothers ignoring her. _

"_And you know what? All I ask from you, the one thing, is that you don't mess with my stuff!" Sam continued, Dean just looking up at him calmly. _

"_You done?" He asked, Sam arguing some more while Blaire stomped back into the bathroom with her hair dryer in her hand. _

_God, her brothers were so fucking immature. _

"_You know, how'd you feel if I screwed with the Impala?" Sam asked. _

_A fair point, Blaire thought.  
_

_"It'd be the last thing you ever did." Dean replied, Sam just turning away in anger. _

* * *

"Did you take his computer?" Bobby asked, approaching the family who now sat at the motel table.

"Serves him right, but no." Dean replied.

"Well, I didn't lose it, because I don't lose things." Sam told him.

"Oh, that's right, because he's Mr. Perfect." Dean spat.

"Okay, okay, why don't you just tell me what happened next?" Bobby asked, Dean looking at Sam with dread who looked over at Blaire.

"Over to you, Blaire." He said, Blaire giggling and blushing as she began to tell her story.

"Why is this date so important?" Bobby asked, "And will I have to hear any graphic detail...?"

"Yes." Blaire said, "Please, Bobby, sit down and listen because things happened during the graphic parts, in particular, that I found really odd. They don't sound weird, but they are."

"Blaire, everyone sweats during sex, it's natural." Dean said, Blaire smacking his arm.

"I don't mean that, you ass! I haven't told you guys fully about this yet. Only the nicer details." Blaire explained, "So, I got myself all nicely dressed in my gorgeous purple outfit, did my hair and make-up whilst ignoring these two idiots, and I went to Crawford Hall to meet Jay."

* * *

_Jay grinned as he was met with Blaire, the beautiful blonde approaching him with a sweet smile on her face. She looked stunningly beautiful in her purple dress. Purple seemed to make her eyes look even brighter than before. _

"_Hi, Blaire." He said with a smile, kissing the young woman's cheek as he presented her with a box of chocolates, Blaire beaming in response, "You look beautiful." _

"_Hi, Jay, thank you so much!" Blaire replied, "For both chocolates and that wonderful compliment. You look very handsome yourself." _

_Jay smiled with a small blush that swept across his cheeks, adding to Blaire's attraction to the hot little janitor who she stood almost at the same height as now she had her small heels on. He linked her arm and the pair made their way towards a nightclub nearby. She had the legs of a dancer, Jay thought, and he knew that dancing would be a great way to get closer to her. They walked under the moonlight, Jay biting his lip before trying to break the ice a little. _

"_So, what will the dear lady be drinking tonight?" He asked, Blaire remembering not to dive straight in for the whiskey. _

"_I really only drink beer and whiskey," She blushed, "Not very ladylike, I know, but I can't help it." _

"_Nah, don't worry, I love a girl who drinks beer and whiskey." Jay replied, "They happen to be my favourites too." _

_Blaire beamed at him, blushing sweetly and giggling as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. She was finally getting what she'd wanted. She'd wanted to be able to live a night away from hunting for so long, to be free and to live like a normal girl for once in her life. _

_She'd wanted to be able to date whoever she wanted, to find a guy and settle down into a beautiful house and have her baby. Her Ashley. Not a day went by when she didn't think of her baby, and how beautiful that gorgeous little child would've been regardless of being a half vampire. She loved that baby. She would always love that baby. Her thoughts were broken when she felt a gentle hand on her face, realising that they'd stopped walking and that Jay was gently brushing tears from her face, luckily leaving her make-up in tact. _

"_What's wrong?" He asked, "Y'alright?" _

"_Sorry..." She breathed, "Just got a little lost in my thoughts is all." _

_She smiled softly and Jay nodded, the two looking at each other before he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. _

"_C'mon. I know a great club we can go to." He said, Blaire smiling excitedly as he led her towards the venue for her first real date in over a year. _

-TBC-

* * *

**The rest of the date will be in the next chapter. Prepare for hotness! **

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for all the support so far! You guys rock! **

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**


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester.

**A/N: **First of all, my sincere apologies for being so idle that I haven't updated this, and that I let it get to number 49 in my list! I'M DISGUSTED WITH MAHSELF! But anyway, here's a chapter without a single line from the episode OMG! And I really hope it was worth the wait! ENJOY!

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**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

_The bar was full of people, bright lights and loud music. Jay pulled Blaire through the crowds and found them a seat, the two sat in very close proximity.  
_

_"Wow!" Blaire cried, having to shout above the booming music, "This place is amazing!" _

"_Yeah, its one of the most popular places in town." Jay told her, "You want a drink? Wine maybe?" _

"_Okay. Thanks." Blaire replied, waiting and watching as Jay went to the bar. _

_Within minutes he returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses, pouring one for Blaire and handing it to her._

_ Good God, she was beautiful. So, so beautiful. Their fingers brushed together and shivers ran down her spine at the contact, the young woman feeling so damn lucky to be on a date at all, never mind with a guy as sweet as Jay. Their eyes met and she took a sip of wine, smiling sweetly at him which he returned. How he loved her smile. He actually _loved _her smile. It was something he wanted to get used to, but he knew he couldn't. _

"_You wanna dance?" He asked, Blaire grinning and taking the hand he extended to her. _

"_I don't dance very often." She admitted, watching as Jay smiled at her, both of them looking up when a slow song came on, "Wow...great timing." _

"_Yeah." He replied, taking her into his arms as a gentle song played through the club. _

_Blaire felt so safe in his embrace, so warm and so comfortable, like there was this incredibly strong power protecting her. His arms held her close and his head rested against hers. _

_It was bliss. _

_She felt needy, like she had to be closer to him, like she couldn't leave him or her life force would just drain away. She nuzzled him gently, smiling as he laced their fingers together. She wanted him so bad, wanted his naked body on hers, drawing her close to ecstasy with each movement of his body. Oh, God... _

"_Blaire?" _

"_Yeah?" _

_When Jay didn't say anything, Blaire moved away slightly to look into his eyes. She smiled, feeling the unusual urge to just take him to bed and...Well...to take him to bed. Oh, God, how she could easily just take him to bed. _

"_What is it?" She asked, taking in the lust in Jay's eyes, "Jay?" _

"_You're so beautiful..." He told her, leaning closer to her as he looked to her lips and back again, "So beautiful..." _

_Their lips touched in a gentle kiss, and Blaire just melted against him, pressing against him with need and lust._

* * *

"Do we have to hear about this?" Dean asked, "It's making me feel sick."

"Well, I'm sorry but there's important detail in this story, okay?" Blaire said, Dean huffing and shaking his head.

"Dean, just let her tell the story." Sam said, his brother shaking his head again.

"We don't wanna hear it!"

Yeah, Dean was right, wasn't he? Who wanted to hear about Blaire's sexual exploits? Um...not three men, one of whom was her surrogate father and the other two who were her brothers.

"Can it, y'idjit!" Bobby yelled, "Let Blaire say her piece. You and Sam have had yours."

Well! It was like they were being treated as children! Then again, they had all been arguing like children for the past several days. It was sort of embarrassing really, but they were just bickering like crazy. It seemed they couldn't help it.

* * *

_Jay's lips were warm against Blaire's and he tasted, she realised, of candy, not the wine they'd been drinking._

_That was odd._

_Alcohol lingers on the tongue for a while, yet there was no hint of it from him. She couldn't care! Good God, she could not care a bit. They were kissing, slow and gentle, nothing rough or needy like she'd experienced before. It was the most tender kiss she'd felt in a long time and it was something she didn't wanna stop. They continued to kiss throughout the song and they held one another close, Blaire prepared to go back to their seats when Jay stopped her. _

"_My place?" He asked, Blaire getting lost in his eyes, "Its not much, but..." _

_Blaire nodded, kissing him again and sighing as he bit her earlobe. _

"_Can't wait to get these clothes off you..." He whispered, "I bet the rest of you is as beautiful as your face." _

_He grabbed her hand and she got her bag and chocolates, the two almost running for the door. _

* * *

"So, you couldn't taste alcohol on the guy." Bobby began, "That's nothing strange, darlin'."

"No, but the real strangeness kicked in when we were in bed." Blaire said, looking at the disgust on the three men's faces.

Why was it that they disapproved of everything she said or did? She couldn't win with these guys! It was as frustrating as being stuck in a room with Gordon Walker and listening to him ramble on about shit no-one cared about. She was pretty tired of the feeling she had of being unappreciated, and she didn't think that the others meant to inflict such a feeling on her.

"And I know that you don't wanna hear it, but it _is _important, and I think it could give us a clue as to what we're dealing with, okay?" She replied, brushing a hand through her hair and taking a drink of water, throwing a piece of mint flavoured gum in her mouth after, "So, he takes me back to his place..."

* * *

_Blaire and Jay stumbled through the door to Jay's apartment, lips locked in deep, passionate and fiery kisses as Jay fumbled across the wall for the light switch. The middle Winchester was so giddy at the thought of sleeping with Jay, at the thought of having him moving inside her and bringing her to that high she loved more than anything. _

"_God, baby..." Jay breathed as Blaire leaned into his neck, biting and sucking it gently, "God, you're good with your mouth..." _

"_I'll show you what else I can do with my mouth." Blaire whispered huskily, Jay locking the apartment door and dragging Blaire to his room. _

_The pair kissed deeply, Jay clicking his fingers only for music to start playing through the room, the soft sounds of love songs drifting into the room from no apparent source. _

"_Where's the music coming from?" Blaire asked with wonder, Jay smiling softly and kissing her again. _

"_I've got speakers in the walls," Jay said, "It's a posh place." _

"_I figured." Blaire whispered, Jay lowering her onto the bed which made her giggle, "Oh, Jay..." _

_Jay grinned at the beautiful twinkle in Blaire's eyes. God, he couldn't get over her eyes. They were just so beautiful he could get so lost in them. He couldn't get attached to her though. Really, he couldn't. She'd be up and moving again in no time and he didn't want to actually miss her when she'd left. He pressed tender kisses to her face, lips and neck, going to nibble softly which made her laugh as she ran her hands into his hair. _

"_God, how are you not tied down?" He asked, Blaire shrugging in response. _

"_Just never found the right man." She chuckled, "Why do you ask?" _

_Jay clicked his fingers again, dimming the lights in the room before pressing a gentle kiss to Blaire's forehead. He couldn't believe someone as beautiful and lovely wasn't already attached or married even. _

"_Just thought you'd be snapped up by someone." He replied, "You're so gorgeous I don't know how you've not found someone." _

"_I just haven't met Mr Right yet." Blaire said sweetly, "How are you not tied down, handsome?" _

"_No girls my age around here." Jay replied, "All too young." _

_Blaire kissed Jay's forehead, reaching down as she pressed her lips to his to unfasten his shirt. _

_God, she was unfastening his shirt! _

_Excitement rushed through him as he felt her hands on his chest for the first time, her gentle fingers caressing his skin almost lovingly as she felt his body carefully. He was stunning, Blaire thought. Strong, warm, smooth...Damn, he was _hot_! _

_She traced his stomach, feeling him take in a small, sharp breath at the contact. Blaire certainly hadn't expected this to come out of the night. Finally, she got his shirt from his shoulders, Jay throwing it to the floor before gazing into those gorgeous green eyes and pressing a kiss to those soft full lips. _

_Blaire pushed him back so she was sitting up before climbing from the bed and gesturing to the zip at the back of the dress, Jay not wasting time before unzipping it. It fell to the floor, leaving Blaire to remove her heels while he removed his footwear. She turned to him, watching him scan her body before he stopped at the scars on her waist.  
_

_"Blaire..." He breathed, "What happened?" _

_He reached out to her and took her hand, leading her to sit on the bed only for her to lay on her back and take his hand, letting him brush his fingers along her scars. They didn't look bad in any way, shape or form, however, Jay knew that whatever had caused them wasn't pleasant and would've been incredibly painful. _

"_Both from a car accident." She said, half lying to him, "And I miscarried my baby in that car accident." _

"_God, Blaire, I'm so, so sorry." He whispered, kissing her gently as her eyes filled with tears, "I had no idea...Please, don't cry." _

_He stroked her face tenderly and kissed her again, Blaire smiling weakly and kissing him in return. She cupped his face and pulled him in for a deeper kiss, her tears mingling with it. Jay realised that when she'd been crying earlier, something must've brought up memories of losing her baby. What an awful thing for someone to go through. _

"_It's okay," She whispered, "I'm okay." _

_She gave him another kiss, just as if she was trying to get her message through to him that she well and truly was okay. With a soft smile, they kissed again, Jay clicking his fingers and lighting the fire in the corner of the room. Blaire wondered how many things Jay had a clicker for. His hands went to her beautiful blonde locks, gently caressing her scalp as he felt how soft her hair was. _

_He could leave his hands in it forever. _

_Running his hands down her body earned him a hitching of breath and a slight tremor, which turned him on even more than he already was. Her skin was so soft and her body was shaped beautifully despite her scars, and still Jay wanted to do nothing more but pleasure that body, to kiss it and stroke it and move inside of it. _

"_Mmm..." She hummed as he kissed her neck and shoulders, her hands rubbing his arms and back as she slid one into his hair, "God, Jay..." _

_What was this woman trying to do to him? He felt so hard it was almost painful against his pants, and he looked down to find Blaire unfastening his belt. She smiled cheekily, kissing his lips and raising an eyebrow at him which looked so damn sexy he could've just had his way with her there and then. _

"_Get 'em off." She ordered, Jay barely able to stop his grin as he unfastened his pants and kicked them off, feeling her hands cup his backside to pull him closer, his hard length pressing against her. _

_She ran her hand over it, giggling and blushing. _

"_Someone's a big boy." She said huskily, Jay laughing in response, "Mmm..." _

"_You like the feel of that?" Jay asked, kissing her again, "Hmm? You wanna feel that inside your body?" _

"_Dirty!" Blaire chuckled, "Dirty boy, Jay! But...yeah, I do...I wanna feel it in my mouth too." _

_Jay moaned at the words and Blaire rolled him over, pressing a kiss to the bulge in his boxers. Now, that bulge looked incredibly promising and she wrapped her dainty fingers around the waistband of the boxers and Jay lifted his hips, Blaire pulling them off of him and beaming at the sight of the erection that lay in waiting for her. _

"_Goodness me, Jay..." She breathed, "Someone really _is _a big boy!" _

_She licked her lips and kissed him before kissing his erection, licking an experimental stripe up his length which sent a gentle shiver coursing through his body. His hands went to her hair, his breathing becoming faster as the sensation of her lips against his length something he didn't ever want to forget. And when her mouth finally enveloped his erection, Blaire experienced a taste she'd never experienced in her life. What she loved the most was the sound that Jay let out from above her.  
_

_"Oh, Blaire..." He breathed, "Mmm...My God..." _

"_That good?" She asked, pulling off and rubbing him as he nodded before going back to sucking him, running her tongue over him and taking him further and further into her mouth. _

"_Fuck..." He sighed, "God, Blaire, you really are good with that gorgeous mouth of yours." _

* * *

_Blaire gasped as Jay moved inside her body, his strong arms holding her close as they continued to rock slowly together. Just laying in his embrace, warm, strong and almost loving made her feel so safe and so happy she could've laid there forever. The feeling of him moving inside her body made her shiver with anticipation, passion and lust, and she just didn't want to let him go._

"_J-Jay..." She gasped, "I'm gonna..." _

_A moan, long, breathy and gentle escaped her lips, her body tensing and shaking as she arched against him, sweating, panting and writhing through her orgasm. Her muscles clenched around him repeatedly, bringing him to orgasm swiftly after her. They calmed, settling in one another's embrace and sharing tender kisses and gentle gazes, soft touches and sweet words. _

_They settled to sleep, Blaire not caring that she would have a lot of explaining to do the next morning. She didn't care whether her brothers approved of this or not. Jay was her first since Ash and she had as much right to fulfil her needs as the next person. She smiled contentedly as she drifted into sleep, settled comfortably and securely against his chest, in his arms, in a warm bed in a gorgeous apartment. _

_At that moment, Blaire Winchester could not be happier. _

* * *

Blaire sighed dreamily.

Dean looked horrified.

Sam looked slightly disgusted.

Bobby recoiled and flushed bright red.

"What was so weird, pray tell?" Dean asked, Blaire almost snarling at him as she took a drink of water.

"I was happy! That's kind of an unusual occurrence nowadays, ain't it?" She snapped, "And, I've never known _anyone _have a clicker to do so many things. There weren't speakers in Jay's wall. The walls went straight to the next apartment."

"So, what are you saying?" Sam asked, "He was making things happen by clicking his fingers."

"I don't know anything in the world that could possibly do that." Blaire said, Dean and Sam nodding in response.

"But things just get weirder from there..." Dean said, looking to Bobby gravely.

The older hunter knew that today would be a very, very long day.

-TBC-

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**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for all the support so far!  
**

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	26. Chapter 26

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Damn, it's been a while since I updated this. I can't seem to get out of this episode, but I don't care since it's one of my favourites. I'm so close to the end now, but I reckon we could go into the forties with the chapters, maybe further.

Hope you enjoy! Please leave a review! I'd love to know what you guys think of the series since my hits tell me a lot of you read it. If you wanna submit any ideas or things you'd like to see for the upcoming stories, please feel free to! Also, this entire series is going to a friend and I desperately need an artist for it! There are details on my profile and my deviantart profile!

Enough of my ranting now and ENJOY! Thanks for all the support so far, especially **_Carver Edlund_**_, __**luckypixi**_ and **_Lily Luna Snape Riddle _**who continues to provide amazing support for the upcoming stories in the series!

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**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

"Right, we didn't see this one ourselves either," Sam began to explain, "We kinda put it together from the evidence, but this guy he was a..."

"He was a research scientist." Blaire almost snarled, "Animal testing. The bastard."

Blaire had always hated animal testing which was why she didn't have many make-up, skin and hair products. The ones she used weren't tested on animals and in some towns they were quite hard to find, which meant that sometimes Blaire had to go against her value which her brothers knew she would carry considerable guilt for. She took a swig of her beer and Dean continued.

"Yeah, y'know, a dick. Which fits the pattern." Dean said, "The cops didn't release a cause of death because they had no clue of what the cause was.."

"So," Sam sighed, "We checked it out ourselves."

* * *

_The window into the mortuary was opened by Sam's skill with a knife, and he edged Blaire forward gently. He was mindful of her back since it had been giving her a few problems lately, and also, he and Dean were being really wary because of her headaches she'd been getting recently. _

"_Ladies first." Dean whispered, he and Sam helping Blaire lower into the room before throwing her their torches and following her, closing the window behind them. _

_They went to find the body, Dean opening a hatch and shining his torch inside. _

"_Well, this ought to be quick." He said, sounding a little pissed which didn't surprise Blaire. _

_He'd been a bit pissed for a while with all that had gone on recently, and of course, he'd yelled at her earlier that day for complaining about her back. Sam had really laid into him for that and he'd apologised but she knew he was a ticking time bomb so she knew to be careful. After getting the remains onto the table, Dean pulled back the sheet covering them to reveal the lower part of two severed legs. Blaire gagged while Sam looked away and Dean turned from it completely. _

"_Okay, that is just nasty..." He said, Blaire nodding and keeping her mouth covered. _

"_Beautiful." She whispered, pulling her scented mask out from her pocket and placing it on. _

_She moved towards the remains and inspected them closely, her brothers trying not to gag at the sight of the remains. They were proud of her damn courage. They weren't brave enough to go near them, yet here Blaire was, diving straight in there like she was on CSI or something. _

"_Alright, definite mutilation." She began, "Whatever this thing was, it was hungry. They identify him yet?" _

"_Yeah, a research scientist at the college." Sam revealed, "Guess where his office was, by the way? Crawford Hall, same as the professor." _

"_Ooh, interesting..." Blaire said, patting Sam's shoulder, "Good work. I need to get a closer look." _

"_Why?" Dean asked, Blaire taking a small knife from her pocket and poking around the mangled flesh which made her brothers gag, "Crawford Hall's right where the frat boy had his close encounter." _

"_Yup." Blaire whispered, "God, it's like minced meat...Something really laid into him...Hey, grab me that magnifier, would you?" _

_Sam shared looks with Dean and the older Winchester shrugged, going to get what Blaire needed. She and Sam were the best with the forensic area, but Sam was more squeamish than Blaire was. She'd always had a strong stomach, and that combined with her knowledge of the human anatomy made inspecting bodies one of her biggest strengths. He grabbed the magnifier and rolled it towards her, turning on the light while she had a look. _

"_Huh." She huffed has she spotted something. _

"_What is it?" Sam asked. _

"_Looks like..." Blaire began, a look of confusion crossing her beautiful features, "A belly scale?" _

"_A belly scale?" Dean asked, "From what?" _

"_Uh..." Blaire replied, "An alligator?" _

"_An alligator in the sewer?" Sam asked.  
_

_"Come on." Dean said incredulously. _

"_What?" Sam asked. _

"_Dean, it's a classic urban legend." Blaire told her older brother. _

"_Kid flushes baby gator down the toilet and it grows huge in the tunnels." Sam added. _

"_Yeah, but no-one's really found one." Dean said, "They're not real." _

"_Neither is alien abduction, wise ass," Blaire pointed out, "But let me tell you, something really went to town chomping on this guy." _

"_This couldn't get any weirder." Dean breathed.  
_

_"We should get some help." Sam suggested, "I'll call Bobby. Maybe he's run into something like this." _

_Oh, how Blaire would love to see Bobby again. She loved that man like he was her father and maybe he could sort the two idjits she had for brothers out, and maybe they could finally solve this case. She wondered if maybe she'd get to see Jay again while they were still here. _

"_Oh, I'm sure he has." Dean began, "Just your typical haunted-campus, alien-abduction, alligator-in-the-sewer gig. Yeah it's simple." _

"_Hey, don't you doubt Bobby's knowledge, okay?" Blaire snapped, "You have no idea what that man's been against before." _

_Hurt flashed across her eyes for a moment and Dean and Sam saw it. Dean went to apologise but Blaire held up her hand to stop him and he decided to let her speak. _

"_I'm sorry." She sighed, "I shouldn't have snapped at you. But, please don't doubt Bobby's knowledge on this kinda thing. He's the most experienced hunter I know, and he'll probably have some way of helping us with this." _

_The others nodded and watched as Blaire gained control of herself while they started to clean up the room. _

* * *

"We decided to search the sewer anyway." Sam said, "So we split up. Dean and I each took one end of campus."

"And Blaire?" Bobby asked, the brothers sharing looks with each other while Blaire bowed her head.

"Uh...we kinda upset her..." Sam began, "And she wouldn't come with us."

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked.

Really, the Winchester siblings were trying his patience some that day. He'd never heard anything like the bickering that was going on between them, and he suspected that Dean and Sam had ganged up on Blaire about something. When they were kids, John used to tell him stories about how Dean and Sam would team up against Blaire.

John and Bobby both knew why.

It was because she was by far the strongest and most mature out of all three of them, and the threat of her being the strongest made Sam and Dean a little wary. They never meant to gang up on her, it would just happen, then she'd get upset or pissed and the boys would hate themselves until they managed to make it up to her.

"They said that because of my headaches, I was a liability." Blaire said, Bobby gasping and raising his eyebrows at the other two.

"No, we didn't." Dean denied, Blaire beginning to pat her knees out of frustration.

"You did in effect, Dean." She replied, "You did. You said that I wasn't safe to come with you guys because if I had a headache no-one would be able to come to me. And when I suggested I team up with one of you, you denied me that opportunity because apparently searching the sewers and carrying dead weight is too hard for you."

There was silence and Dean and Sam knew that Bobby was glaring at them. They were supposed to be treating Blaire with more responsibility and the older hunter would be kind of mad at them for not including her in that part of the hunt.

"However, Blaire spent the entire day researching," Sam said, trying to make her feel better, "Despite her headaches, and even though she found nothing to help, that didn't matter. She'd put a damn load of effort in and had made herself really sick in the process."

Bobby nodded and looked to Blaire who sighed and rubbed her temples, before he turned his attention back to the boys.

"Did you find anything?" He asked, moving a little closer to the brothers.

"Yeah, I found something, just not in the sewer." Dean replied, Blaire groaning and rolling her eyes which alerted Bobby to the fact that what he was about to hear was going to piss him off greatly.

* * *

_Blaire and Sam sat in silence, Blaire incredibly pissed that she'd found her computer broken too. Now they were stuck to researching from books and it certainly wasn't as quick or as fun as the internet. The two shared soft smiles, Blaire holding her hand out to Sam who took it gently and rubbed it. _

"_You know I forgave you as soon as I saw you after the exorcism." She whispered, "You don't have to keep trying to make things up to me, sweetie, okay?" _

"_Okay." Sam replied, kissing his sister's hand, "I love you, Blaire. You know that, don't you." _

"_I know that, darlin'." Blaire said sweetly, "And I love you too, okay? Never ever forget that." _

"_You think this is funny?" _

_Both siblings turned around at the sound of Dean's angry voice. Great. Another melodrama for the day. How wonderful. _

"_What's up your ass?" Blaire asked, Dean glaring at her, "Do we think what's funny?" _

"_'What?'" He mocked, "The car!" _

"_What about the car?" Sam asked. _

"_You can't let air out of the tires!" Dean yelled, "You're gonna bend the rims!" _

"_Hey, jerk, we didn't let the air out of your stupid tires, okay?" Blaire snapped, "We didn't go near your stupid fucking car!" _

"_Oh, yeah?" Dean asked, "Then how'd I find this?" _

_He pulled out Sam's stash of money and Sam looked totally confused. Blaire had spent the whole morning with Sam and neither of them had left the motel room. The youngest Winchester stood up and held his hand out to his brother. _

"_Hey, give me back my money." _

"_Oh, no." Dean huffed, "No. Consider it reparations for emotional trauma." _

"_Dean just give him back the damn..." Blaire began, crying out as sharp pain shot through her head, "Ow!" _

_It was enough to blind her and reduce her to sobs immediately, and forgetting their petty squabbling, Dean and Sam ran to her, holding onto her gently as she gripped her head. _

"_Okay, easy, Blaire..." Dean said in the quietest voice he could, "Shhh, we're gonna get you heat pack, alright?" _

_Sam closed the curtains in the room and Dean helped Blaire to bed, the two brothers rushing around to get her heat pack and to tuck her into bed. Dean sat by her and stroked her head as she cried into the pillows and he continued to do so until she fell asleep. _

* * *

"Okay, I've heard enough." Bobby sighed, staring at the brothers with his hands on his hips.

He was about to give them a good lecture, and of course some would be directed at Blaire, but not a lot of it. Why was she the good one out of the trio? Why couldn't it be Dean who was supposed to set the example?

"Anyway, you showed up about two hours after that." Dean said.

"I'm surprised at you three." Bobby began, "I really am, especially you boys."

Each Winchester bowed their heads and Bobby felt like he was scolding three children rather than three adults.

"Sam, Blaire, first off, Dean did not steal your computers." He said, Sam going to interrupt only for Bobby to shush him, "And Dean, Sam and Blaire did not touch your car."

He looked to Blaire and went to stand by her side, rubbing her back gently.

"Sam and Dean, Blaire is not a liability because she's been suffering with some headaches recently." He said, "You know better than to make her feel like this, and to leave her out of the hunt because of a couple of migraines. She's not here to be peace-keeper between you idjits, and she's certainly not here to stay home and do the research while you two are doing the job she's probably the best at out of all three of you."

He watched the looks of realisation wash over the boys' faces and he sighed again. God, this day was tiring him out.

"And if you all bothered to pull your heads out of your asses, it all would've been pretty clear." He finished, Blaire smiling at the other two.

"Told you not to doubt him, didn't I." She said, "See, Bobby, I knew you'd know what we were dealing with."

"And Blaire, do you know what we're dealing with?" Dean asked, Blaire smiling smugly at him.

"It kinda hit me when we've gone back through everything that we're dealing with a Trickster."

"Well done, Blaire." Bobby said, "Hallelujah, someone's got it! But, I gotta tell you, you guys were the biggest clue."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"These things create chaos and mischief as easy as breathing." Bobby said, Blaire realising what had been going on.

"And it's got us so turned around and at each other's throats that we can't even think straight." She sighed, Bobby nodding in response, "Damnit!"

"The laptops." Sam breathed.

"The tires." Dean added.

"It knows you're on to it." Bobby said, "And it's been playing you like fiddles."

"So, what is it?" Dean asked, "Spirit, demon? What?"

"It's kinda like a demigod." Blaire said, "There's Loki in Scandinavia."

"There's Anansi in West Africa." Bobby added, "Dozens of 'em."

"How the hell do you know all this?" Dean asked Blaire, who sat playing with her hair and biting her lip.

He didn't know his sister knew so much. Perhaps it was down to the many times she'd spent with Bobby before, especially when she'd run away from the family. She used to do it a lot in her late teen years. Once she'd learned how to hot wire a car she knew she could leave whenever she wanted. No wonder she was so damn clever if she'd gone and spent several days with Bobby at a time.

"It's all down to Bobby." Blaire explained, "Demigods are immortal. They can create things out of thin...air..."

Everyone watched as she stopped for a moment, and horror, realisation and sadness washed over her all at once. It was Jay. The Trickster was Jay. She'd fucked the damn Trickster.

"Oh, my God..." She gasped, covering her mouth, "It's...It's Jay..."

The others took in how sad she looked all of a sudden and it wasn't a shock to them when she became a little tearful. She didn't cry but her eyes filled up a little. She'd become quite attached to that little janitor, so the others knew it had to be a little tough for her to handle.

"You win some, you lose some, kiddo." Bobby whispered, "I'm sorry, honey, it's just the way things go sometimes."

"Yeah." Blaire replied, "Well...you want me to double check the theory? I can bed him again."

"Blaire, we're not gonna make you screw the damn thing we're hunting." Dean sighed, Blaire shaking her head.

"Hey, this guy's the first one I've been with since Ash." She laughed, "I got my needs, and anyway, a little piece of action ain't gonna kill me is it?"

"Maybe with a Trickster." Sam said, Blaire shaking her head.

"He hasn't got a clue that I know what he is, he thinks I'm just into him." She whispered, "Let me handle it."

Sam, Dean and Bobby watched as she marched into the bathroom and they knew that this was just a cover for her to have one last day with the guy before they ganked him. Or at least tried to.

* * *

"Mmm..." Blaire hummed as Jay turned her onto her back, kissing her gently and leaning into her neck, "Damn..."

He pulled out of her and took her into his embrace, holding her close and pressing tender kisses to her face and hair. She bit her lip, wanting to know if he genuinely liked her or if really, he saw her as a target.

"Jay...?"

"Yeah, Blaire?"

"Do you actually like me?" Blaire asked, "Or am I just another screw to you?"

The Trickster looked down at her and gazed right into her eyes with utter sincerity resting in those beautiful golden orbs.

"You're the most beautiful and amazing woman I've ever met." He said softly, "I'm just sorry you'll be leaving town soon."

"So am I." Blaire replied, kissing his lips deeply, "What time do you want me to leave?"

"Blaire, you're staying all night." He said quietly, "If this is our final day together for God only knows how long, then I'm asking you to stay with me. We can stay in bed or I can order food in?"

"Bed sounds wonderful." Blaire whispered, holding onto Jay and kissing his chest that was still clammy from the sex they'd just had, "You're amazing, Jay."

"So are you, Blaire." Jay replied, "So are you."

* * *

The next day, Dean, Sam and Blaire returned to the building for Jay to show them around, and the boys had noticed a certain glow about Blaire all morning. They wondered what the hell was up with her to make her so happy.

"Sorry I'm dragging a little ass today, guys." Jay began as he led the others up the stairs, "I had quite the night last night."

He turned to the brothers with a smirk that made Blaire's legs go weak.

"Lots of sex," He said, "If you catch my drift."

He winked at Blaire which earned her slight surprised looks from her brothers. She blushed and shrugged, following Jay up the stairs.

"Yeah, hard not to." Dean said, "Listen, we won't be long, we just need to check a couple offices up on three."

"No problem." Jay replied.

"Oh, damn." Sam said, "I forgot something in the truck. You know what? I'll catch up with you guys."

"Okay." Dean said, he and Blaire following Jay up the stairs.

Blaire took every glance she could at Jay's gorgeous butt while she still had the chance to. She hoped Sam could do his job properly and that if they found a way to kill the Trickster that it wouldn't be too painful.

She couldn't do it to Jay.

-TBC-

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**Thanks for reading so far!**

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	27. Chapter 27

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Thanks for the support with the last chapter! Okay, so I kinda skipped 2x16, because I don't like that episode and I wouldn't have done a good job with it because I wouldn't have had the motivation. Anyway, this chapter at the end went in a bit of a different direction than I intended. Hope you like the twist...It's nothing _that _major, but I think I might be taking a bit of a risk with it.

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* * *

**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

"Just because he reads _Weekly World News _doesn't mean he's our guy." Sam said as the Winchesters left Crawford Hall, "I mean, you read it too."

"I'm telling you it's him." Dean said, knowing how hard his sister was taking all of it.

"Look, I think we just need some hard proof, that's all." Sam replied, Blaire snapping and growling.

"Would you guys stop talking about him like he's just another fucking creature we hunt every day?" She said almost tearfully, "He's..."

"What, more than that to you?" Dean asked, realising he'd been a little insensitive, "Okay, another thing. Bobby mentioned that these suckers have a metabolism like an insect, alright? A real sweet tooth."

"Well, I didn't find any candy bars, or sugar." Sam replied, "Not even Equal."

"Bro, when I kissed him, he fucking tasted of the stuff." Blaire replied tearfully.

"Exactly, Sam, you must've missed something." Dean said, Sam frowning at his siblings.

"I don't miss things."

"Oh, right, because you're Mr Perfect."

"What?" Sam asked, Blaire rolling her eyes at her brothers' behaviour, "Are you still pissed at me because of what the Trickster did?"

"Oh, come on, man, you been a tight ass long before that Trickster showed up." Dean spat, Blaire smacking both her brothers on their arms.

"Just shut the fuck up, both of you!" She snapped, "How do you think I feel to see you two argue this way and to hear you speak of _him_ like that?"

"Look, just stay here, Dean and keep an eye on the janitor." Sam yelled, "I'll go to his place, see if I can find any actual evidence before you go barging in and staking the man. Just wait until I get back, okay?"

"Okay." Dean snapped, turning to his sister who was almost in tears, "Blaire, I didn't mean what I said..."

"Shut up." She snarled, turning and walking away, "I need some time."

She did need time. She needed time to brace herself for that night. Jay was more important to her than she ever thought he'd be and the thought of killing him was just...She wiped her tears away and went to meet Bobby. She knew he'd console her before they left and after the job was done. She just hoped her brothers would do the same.

* * *

"You'll be fine," Bobby whispered, rubbing Blaire's back as she rested her head against his shoulder, "You're gonna be strong and you'll be brave. It'll be okay."

Blaire nodded, blinking back tears as she headed to her position. She couldn't believe she was killing the closest guy she'd had to a boyfriend in a long time. She heard the sounds of Barry White, laughing softly despite the knowing that she was going to kill Jay.

"_But you, Sam and Blaire, I like you." _She heard him say, _"I do. Especially Blaire. Damn your sister's freakin' beautiful. You should treat her a little better." _

Dean turned down the guy's offer and Blaire heard him threaten her brother. She didn't like that. Not one bit.

"_You shouldn't have come alone." _

"God, forgive me." Blaire whispered, bracing herself for her entry.

She stepped out behind the two women, stabbing one in the neck while kicking the other to the ground.

"He didn't." She said, Jay glancing at her with puppy eyes that made her heart lurch.

"Blaire, why?" He asked, "Why can't you just let me go."

"You're hurting people." Blaire told him, Bobby and Sam entering from separate doors, "I can't let you do that, Jay, I have a responsibility."

"You actually want to kill me?" He asked, Blaire shaking her head.

"Of course I don't." She replied, "Don't be stupid. I just have no choice, and I'm sorry."

Jay stared at her coldly and God, did that hurt. He looked at her as though she'd betrayed him in the worst possible way, which yeah, she had in a way, but he was killing people, she had no choice. She had _no choice_.

"You wanna see a real trick, _sweetheart_?" He spat, Blaire gasping as the revving of a chainsaw sounded.

"SAM!" She yelled, her brother just managing to duck out of the way of the chainsaw killer.

Meanwhile, Jay's women had managed to somehow recover and were now about to beat the hell out of Dean. Jay clicked his fingers and Blaire was held still, watching everyone around her fighting things that were coming out of nowhere. Suddenly they stopped and she found she could move again, and she looked at Jay who glared at her almost evilly.

"Best while last, Blaire." He said, "Take a look."

"Hey!"

Blaire turned to see herself standing there with a bump on her belly, and while the others couldn't move she realised she was stuck with this version of herself to kill. Bobby and her brothers couldn't believe that even a Trickster would stoop so god-damn low.

"Let him go." Blaire said lowly, turning with a grin on her face and walking towards Jay, "Could you get me that baby back?"

"Blaire, no!" Dean yelled, "Don't fall for it."

Jay took several steps towards her and smiled softly, brushing her hair behind her ear. His very touch sent shivers down her spine and she closed her eyes, letting his lips meet hers in a tender kiss before suddenly there was a choking sound. Upon breaking the kiss, Blaire gripped Jay around the waist and lowered him in her arms to the floor. He gazed up at her as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. Blaire felt pain shoot through her chest and she'd felt the same when she'd lost her baby and her father.

"I'm so, so sorry..." She whispered, cradling him and stroking his face as he whimpered a little in pain, "Shhh...Shhh."

Tears fell down her face as his eyes closed and she pulled the stake from his stomach, stabbing him in the heart just to be sure. Pulling the wooden stake out of him, she kissed his cold lips, laying him down gently and standing up, not even looking at the others before leaving the auditorium. They followed her out of the building and they climbed into the car, Dean starting the engine and pulling away.

"Blaire? Baby?" Dean asked, "You okay?"

The sobs that followed were heartbreaking, but Dean couldn't stop the car. He looked to Bobby in the rear-view mirror who just nodded and pulled Blaire to his body, letting her cry everything out against his chest. He hushed her and rubbed her back, Dean noticing Sam's eye fill with tears at the sound. They all felt guilty that they'd let her fall for the guy they were hunting, and they felt even worse about the fact that she'd been the one to kill him.

Little did they know that Sam would go through the exact same thing only weeks later.

* * *

In the weeks that followed, Blaire cried every day, but usually in the shower or away from her brothers. The crying lessened, but the brothers still knew it was going on. Sam and Dean had both had their fair share of nights holding their sister when she slept beside either one of them when she'd woken from nightmares.

While Sam had gone out to do some research and interviewing, Dean sat with Blaire as they cleaned their weapons. She seemed distant, the older Winchester noticed, and while he fitted his gun back together he saw the tears in her eyes.

"Honey?" He asked, "Y'alright?"

Blaire nodded, smiling weakly at her brother and brushing her hair behind her ears, remembering how Jay had done that before moving it back again. She sighed and put her gun together, looking up as Sam returned.

The siblings settled for the night to discuss any findings, while Dean decided to yet again clean his arsenal of weapons. The room, was dull and dark, like Blaire's mood, and she didn't like it at all. At the end of the day, though, they had to save their money. Blaire huddled her dark pink cardigan around herself and shivered slightly, rubbing her arms and looking at her scan photos as she did every day.

"This lawyer guy the first heart-free corpse in town?" Dean asked, Sam shaking his head as he went to open the fridge to get himself a beer.

"The first man." The younger Winchester replied, grabbing a chair and joining his brother and sister, "Over the past year, several women have gone missing. Their bodies all washed up later in the bay too deteriorated to draw firm conclusions."

"But no hearts?" Blaire asked.

"No hearts." Sam confirmed as he opened his beer, "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Blaire replied, smiling sweetly, "Thanks for asking that, Sam, that was really nice."

"Listen, we're your brothers, okay?" Sam told her, "We're love you. We're worried about you."

"I'm fine, sweetie." Blaire said softly, "Carry on."

"Uh...They were all hookers working at Hunter's Point." Sam continued, "Cops are trying to keep things under wrap, but they're looking for a serial killer."

"And the lunar cycle?" Dean asked, Sam humming and nodding in agreement.

"All the murders happened in the week leading up to the full moon." Sam said, Blaire sighing softly.

"Lovely." She said, taking a swig of whiskey and rubbing her temples softly.

"Hey, stop drinking that!" Dean snapped, taking the flask away from her, "You can't drink for six weeks. You're on meds, remember?"

Oh, yeah, Blaire remembered alright. She was on meds for her migraines, yet she couldn't understand why her brothers were being so skittish about it. If something had happened, she needed to know, and she'd been given pills for it, yet not offered a scan...Something there didn't add up.

"Full moon, did you say?" Blaire asked, taking a sip of water that rested on her bedside table, "That's this week, right?"

"Hence the lawyer." Sam replied, Dean grinning at him.

"Awesome."

Sam and Blaire raised eyebrows at him, but Blaire could understand how Dean felt about the thrill of the hunt.

"Dean, could you be a bigger geek about this?"

"I'm sorry, but what about a human by day, a freak animal killing machine by moonlight don't you understand?" Dean asked, Blaire agreeing.

"Yeah, Sam! Werewolves are badass!"

Dean high-fived her and she giggled at the look on Sam's face.

"We haven't seen one since we were kids." Dean said, opening a box to reveal silver bullets.

"No, you haven't seen one since you were a kid." Blaire said, Dean gaping at her like a child on Christmas morning.

"Oh, my God, you haven't..." He breathed, Sam turning to listen to Blaire's story.

"Oh, yeah. Nasty sons of bitches too." She said, "Dad and me...not long after I lost Ashley went out hunting one."

"What happened?" Dean asked, Blaire smiling.

"Dad and I weren't the best of friends at that time, but he couldn't get to me quick enough when the damn thing nearly got me." She said, "I'd twisted my ankle in the fall and gone into the river we were fighting it beside and Dad dove straight in for me."

She sighed and looked to her hands, twiddling her fingers.

"He pulled me out of the water, and he cradled me in his arms for ten minutes to warm me up." She told them, "The werewolf died after Dad had shot it with a silver bullet and if it weren't for him knocking me into the water, I wouldn't be here."

Her brothers listened to her story and she smiled at them, preparing herself for sarcasm for Sam.

"Y'know what the best part of this is?" She asked, "We know how to bring one of these bad boys down. One of those right to the heart."

"Next move, Samantha?" Dean asked, Sam smirking and shaking his head.

"Talk to the girl who found the body."

* * *

"I don't understand. I already gave my statement."

The Winchesters were in a beautiful blue apartment building with white windows and a gorgeous porch, talking to the girl that clearly had her eye on Sam. It was about time, he'd not been with anyone since Sarah in New York. Now in San Francisco, maybe things could heat up for Sam.

"Right, yeah, well, we just need to verify a few things." Sam replied, watching the beautiful brunette turn to speak to them again.

"I don't understand something else. Why are three of you here?" She asked, "Normally don't detectives work in pairs?"

"She's a trainee." Dean said, "They allow us to take a trainee out with us on cases, and she's pretty interested in this one. All part of the process."

Blaire smiled weakly at the girl who continued into the other room to reveal a man with dark hair and full facial hair, who looked quite jittery if the siblings were honest.

"This is my neighbour, Glen." She began, "Glen this is detective..."

"Landis," Dean began, indicating Sam, then Blaire, "Dante and Harley."

"Well, guess I'll leave you to it." Glen said, passing the woman who smiled softly at him.

"Okay. Thanks for the casserole."

"How thoughtful." Dean said, the siblings taking note of the way Glen looked at the girl.

"Just call if you need anything." He said softly, leaving them to it.

"He's sweet." She said, "He came over to check on me. Have a seat."

"You must be pretty shaken up." Sam said softly as the group sat down at the light blue table, "You were Nate Mulligan's assistant?"

"For two years, yeah."

Damn, those eyes. Blaire realised a scary thing about herself at that moment. If she was either a man or a lesbian, she'd totally fuck this girl. If she said so herself, she was smoking hot, and Sam really did like her. It brought back memories for her that seemed so distant, yet they actually weren't.

"So you knew all about him?" Dean asked.

"Probably knew more about him than he did." The young woman replied, "Nate was...He was nice."

"But?" Blaire asked.

"Nothing really, I..." The girl began, "You get a few scotches in him and he'd hit on anyone in a five-mile radius. You know the type."

"Hell yeah." Blaire replied, "Yeah, I know the type."

Dean was checking the girl out at this time and stopped as soon as Blaire said those words. Ah, how amazingly well she knew her older brother. There were some things about Dean that she knew that he didn't know that she knew. Oh, the power she could hold over him with some of those things.

"Did he have any enemies?" Dean asked, now a little embarrassed.

"What do you mean?" The girl countered, "It sure looked like an animal attack."

"Just covering all the bases." Blaire explained, "Anyone that might've had a beef with him? Former client, an ex?"

"What?" Sam asked, taking in the look on the girl's face.

"This is embarrassing..." She began, "...but my ex-boyfriend, Kurt."

"Kurt have a last name?" Dean asked.

"Mueller." She replied, "After we broke up, he went kind of nuts. He's...Well...he's kind of been stalking me. He got it into his head that something was going on between Nate and I. He showed up at my office."

"What happened?" Sam asked, Blaire wanting to just let out an 'Awww' at the concern in his voice.

"Kurt got into it with Nate before security grabbed him." The girl explained, "I was lucky to keep my job."

"Last time you saw Kurt?" Blaire asked, concerned for the girl's safety now.

"A few nights ago." She said, "Actually, the night Nate died. We were al grabbing drinks at this bar and Kurt showed up."

"And?" Dean asked.

"Nothing." The girl replied, "It was like he was watching me. Then he was gone. To tell you the truth, he scares me."

"So, what do you think?" Dean asked as they left.

"Stalker ex-boyfriend..." Sam began.

"He hates the boss." Blaire added, "And he was there that night."

"You think he's our dog-faced boy?" Dean asked.

"Well, it's a theory." Sam replied.

"Better than nothing." Blaire said, "We've had worse."

"Yeah." Sam replied.

"What do you say we pay Kurt a visit?" Dean asked, Blaire giving him a warning look.

"Now, you be careful." She said, "Stalking's a damn serious thing. We don't wanna endanger her or anything."

"Shut up, and get in the car." Dean said, Blaire smacking him around the head before climbing into the car behind her brothers.

* * *

Why did Blaire agree to go along with her brothers? Why?

"Dean...Something's wrong..."

They were in Kurt's place and Blaire had the most awful feeling of dread in her stomach. Normally something bad was going to happen when she got this feeling, and if it was to do with Kurt or the thing they were hunting, she had to stop whatever it was.

"What?" Dean asked, watching her just run out of the room.

Growling and snapping ensued when she got into the alley and in the shadows she saw the creature eating a cop. Lovely. She realised she'd forgotten her silver bullets and she cursed herself, shoving the dumpster he was behind out of the way to help him in any way she could but the beast ran away, leaving the man for dead.

"DAMNIT!" She yelled, putting her hands to her head and turning away from the scene as Dean and Sam approached, "I couldn't save him! I tried, I..."

"Hey, hey, shhh." Dean said softly, "Shhh, it's okay."

"I'll call 911." Sam said, Dean going to get a better look at the body.

"I'd say Kurt's looking more and more like our Cujo." He said, taking in the concern in Sam's eyes.

"Dean, if he's out here, we'd better go and check on Madison." He said referring to the woman they'd spoken to earlier.

* * *

Blaire was still shaking, Dean noticed as the three of them stood outside the apartment, and he rubbed her back gently to try and calm her. It must've been horrifying for her to see and she didn't scare so easily.

"What's going on?" Came a familiar voice.

"Police business, Glen." Blaire said without even turning around.

The door opened and Madison immediately looked concerned.

"What is it?" She asked, Blaire answering immediately.

"Maybe we should talk privately?" She said, ushering Madison inside.

As Madison poured the trio coffee, Sam was overly concerned for her which made Blaire's heart warm a little.

"Has Kurt been here?" He asked.

"Well, not exactly." Madison replied, confusing the siblings.

"What exactly does, 'not exactly' mean?" Dean asked, thanking her for the coffee she poured him.

"Well...he was outside last night." Madison admitted, "Just looking. Just looking at me. Has he done something?"

She'd noticed the look that the siblings had shared and clearly it had worried her.

"We're not really sure." Sam said, softly.

"It's probably nothing." Dean said, being careful with his words, "But we just don't wanna take any chances. In fact, one of us should probably stay here with you, just in case he stops by. Where does he work?"

"He owns a body shop." Madison replied.

"You mind grabbing that address for us?" Blaire asked, Madison nodding and leaving them to it.

Blaire sighed as Dean and Sam argued over who was going to stay and finally she'd had enough.

"I'll stay." She said, the brothers immediately disagreeing, "Okay, rock paper scissors, then."

Sam won, and Dean and Blaire headed to get the address, Dean noticing something strange about the look Blaire gave Madison. It was...flirty. Flirty? Blaire wasn't...no...No! No, Blaire wasn't bisexual...No...Was she? No! No. It was his imagination. Yeah, that wasn't a flirty look. No...

But Blaire looked at her older brother and winked, whistling before heading out of the door with him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Dean breathed as they got to the car, "Hold on a minute!"

"Get in." Blaire grinned, "Looks like I got a confession to make."

* * *

"Dad and I were hunting a succubus in Arkansas, and...it was targeting girls. Lesbian girls..." Blaire began, taking a drink of her water.

They were sat in a small diner, talking quietly and enjoying a slice of cherry pie each. It was nice for them to have time together like this. They were pretty close, especially since they'd stuck together so much throughout their lives. She knew she could tell him this and he wouldn't judge her.

"I had to go in undercover, but...it wasn't my first time flirting and..._mixing _with the same sex. I've had to do it on hunts before. I took a girl to a bar, one thing led to another, we got a little close and..."

"Oh, God..." Dean breathed, "You didn't."

"We spent the night together." Blaire sighed, "Nothing too intimate happened, we just kissed a little, that's all. I'd fed her some sob story and she bought it...we went for a drink and she was really sensitive. She really did believe this story and I'd had too much tequila...and we kissed. It didn't register that it was weird that I was kissing a girl, but it didn't feel right either."

"Wow." Dean huffed, "I...didn't think you were...well...bisexual."

"Oh, I'm not. I was a late experimenter, I guess." She said, Dean raising an eyebrow at her, "Oh, come on! Don't tell me you've never done that."

Dean just shook his head and ushered her out of the place, getting her sat in the car.

"This doesn't change anything, y'know." He began, "I...I don't think of you any differently. I won't look at you differently."

He looked to his hands and then back at his sister.

"I...uh...I actually respect you more."

Blaire smiled. That was something she'd always wanted from him.

She had his respect.

-TBC-

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**Hope you enjoyed that twist! *Crosses fingers***

**Thanks for reading so far!**

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	28. Chapter 28

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either or the lyrics used in this chapter.

**A/N: **Thanks so much for the support with the last chapter, and I really hope you enjoy this one. I've missed out 2x18 and most of 2x19 because one, I had no inspiration for 2x18, and two, I couldn't really fit Blaire into 2x19. Anyway, hope you enjoy and now we're drawing to a close, I'm hoping for around thirty-five chapters to be the ending result of this story. Oh, how close we are to the end...

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**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

"You slept with a girl?" Dean asked again, Blaire laughing and shaking her head.

"Dean, I kissed her, that's all." She said as Dean approached her, pulling out his cell phone and calling Sam.

"Let me guess. You're sitting on her couch like a stiff..." He said as Sam answered, "Trying to think of something to say."

"_Did you find Kurt?" _Sam asked in a hushed tone.

"He hasn't been at work all week." Dean replied, "But because I'm good, and I mean, really, really good, I got a line on where he might be."

He indicated to Blaire to get in the car and she walked around the side of the vehicle, climbing in and watching Dean climb in beside her. It was so nice to be filled in on such information. She sighed and shook her head, wishing that Dean would let Sam get on with wooing Madison, which no doubt he wanted to do. He was clearly infatuated and Blaire couldn't blame him. Madison was pretty smoking if she said so herself.

"What's she wearing?" Dean asked, Blaire huffing in disbelief.

"_Bye, Dean."_

As Sam hung up, Dean laughed, Blaire smacking him on the arm and watching as he started the car. He loved that car way too much. It was probably the closest thing he had to a real girlfriend.

"Where are we going, jerk?" She asked, Dean not even saying a word before speeding off, "I call tunes!"

"Don't you dare!" Dean snapped, "No! No way!"

"I want Aerosmith!" Blaire huffed, sounding like a spoilt child.

"No, shrimp, we're not having any tunes!" Dean replied, Blaire puppy-eyeing him.

"Please! I'll kiss a girl for you if you let me!" She said, Dean laughing and shaking his head.

"No. That won't work. But I can't wait to tell Sam." He replied, pulling up outside a strip club.

"Eww!" Blaire cried, "I ain't going in there!"

"Fine. Suit yourself."

Blaire shook her head and sat back, deciding to get a little shut-eye while Dean and Sam enjoyed themselves. It was rare she got some decent sleep these days, what with everything that was going on in her head, and it was these nice quiet moments that Blaire treasured the most. There was nothing like a quiet nap.

* * *

"Can I ask you something?" Dean asked, Blaire humming in response.

The two stood watching Kurt's place, waiting for any sign of active life in the apartment, and Dean knew he had many questions for his sister but he chose carefully and decided that this would be the most appropriate.

"What's your biggest fear?"

Blaire started laughing, shaking her head at her brother. She couldn't believe what he'd just asked her.

"You don't know?" She asked, "Dean, you know me better than anyone and you don't know my biggest fear?"

"No, come on, what is it?" Dean asked again, watching as his sister's face was glazed with sadness.

"Losing all my family." She replied, "That's you, Sam and Bobby now...And what with all this shit that supposed to be coming our way, I'm terrified that I'm gonna lose all of you. Losing one of you would be bad enough, but..."

"Hey, you're not gonna lose us, okay?" Dean whispered, looking up as glass smashed in Kurt's apartment, "What the hell?"

Loading their guns, the two sprinted up to the apartment and broke in, spotting the werewolf eating Kurt only for it to return and reveal Madison. Blaire's heart stopped for a moment as she realised Sam might be pretty damn heartbroken over it. Madison flew at them, knocking Blaire into a wall and out cold while Dean was knocked into the wall beside her and just managed to fend her off before slipping into unconsciousness himself.

* * *

Dean helped Blaire to her feet, the young woman taking sight of the mangled corpse in the living room, while her brother called Sam. She feared for the young Winchester now that he was staying at home with the werewolf, and she knew that they'd have to gank her. Maybe Sam wouldn't be able to do it which wouldn't make it much easier for the others.

"_Dean, you okay?" _

"Yeah, we both are, now that we're conscious." Dean replied, "The werewolf knocked us both out. Sam, it's Madison."

"_What?" _Sam asked incredulously.

"Yeah, awesome job keeping an eye on her." Dean said, Blaire swatting his arm.

"_Dean, I've been here the whole time. She's in bed asleep." _Sam said quietly, Dean shaking his head at his brother's words.

"Well, she wasn't an hour ago!" He replied, "Check her right arm below her elbow. I nicked her with a silver knife."

Sam had clearly hung up and the two older Winchesters checked one another's injuries. Nothing serious, just a couple of bumps and bruises. At least they weren't werewolf food, that was one thing they were grateful for. As they headed out of Kurt's apartment, they made their way back to Madison's, and found her tied to a chair while Sam looked ready to just break down and cry.

"We need to talk." Sam said, leading Dean and Blaire away for a moment, "She says she has no idea what I'm talking about."

"She's lying." Dean shrugged, Blaire putting a comforting hand on Sam's back and rubbing it softly.

"Maybe she doesn't know, Dean." She whispered, "Maybe when the creature takes over, she blacks out. I've seen it before."

"Alright, little Miss Expert." Dean snapped, Sam thumping his arm, "You mean like a really hot Incredible Hulk? She ganked her boss and her ex-boyfriend. That doesn't sound rash and unconscious."

"But what if it was?" Sam asked.

"You know when someone has schizophrenia, they don't always know what's happened when another personality has taken over..." Blaire said, "It could be similar."

"What if some animal part of her brain saw those guys as threats?" Sam asked, "Hell, the cop too."

"What are you, the Dog Whisperer now?" Dean asked.

"Look, man, I just...I don't know," Sam began, "There was something in her eyes."

"Yeah, she's killing people." Dean replied.

"If she has no control over it..." Sam said, being cut off by his brother.

"Exactly, she can't control it." Dean said, "If she is telling the truth, nothing changes."

"I'm not putting a bullet through someone's chest who has no idea what's happening." Sam snapped.

"Sam, she's a monster." Dean said, "You feel sorry for her?"

"Dean!" Blaire hissed at her brother's words, knowing how hurtful they were.

"Maybe I understand her." Sam said, "Look, there might be another way we can get the job done without having to waste her."

Blaire turned to her brother, wondering if what she thought was going through his mind was right.

"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" She asked.

"Dad's theory: 'Lycanthropy might have a cure if you kill the werewolf who bit you..." Sam began, "...severing the bloodline.'"

"'Might have a cure.' Who knows?" Dean asked.

"It's worth a shot." Sam said, desperate for this to work.

"We don't know where to start, baby." Blaire said softly, "The puppy that bit her could be anyone, anywhere..."

"It could've been years ago." Dean added.

"No, I don't think so." Sam replied suddenly remembering something the girl had said.

He walked into the room where Madison sat and asked her one question that he believed might be the key to finding the original wolf.

"Madison, when were you mugged?" He asked, "Please, it's important, alright? Just answer the question."

"About a month ago." She replied eventually, glaring at Dean and Blaire like it was all their fault.

"Did you see the guy?" Sam asked.

"No." Madison replied, "Grabbed me from behind."

"Did he bite you?" Blaire asked, earning a strange look from the girl in the chair.

"How did you know that?" She asked, earning another question from Sam.

"Where?"

"On the back of my neck."

Dean, Sam and Blaire went to look, Dean raising his eyebrows at the scar from the bite that rested on the back of her neck.

"Well, that's just a love bite." He said, "Believe me, that could've been a lot worse."

"Where were you at the time?" Blaire asked.

"Walking home from a friend's loft." Madison replied.

"Let me guess," Sam began, "Not too far from Hunter's Point?"

Madison nodded and the family headed back to the kitchen and closed the door to keep the frightened girl from hearing what they were talking about. This was an incredibly delicate situation since her life was at stake and Sam's heart was.

"Same place where those other murders happened..." Sam breathed, "I'm telling you, it's the werewolf's hunting grounds."

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean it'll be out there tonight." Dean said softly.

"It's the right time of the lunar cycle." Sam replied, "Look, I know it's a long shot..."

"You're forgetting something." Dean said lowly, "Maddy will probably turn soon. We can't just let her take off to an all-you-can-eat buffet."

"I'll stay with her." Sam said.

"And if she breaks loose?" Blaire asked, "Sam?"

"I'll do it." Sam replied, Dean and Blaire looking at their brother who was hurting more than they'd ever seen, "I'll shoot her, alright? But, guys, I need you to go out there and at least look for the damn thing. Please. We can save this girl."

"Fine." Dean replied softly, going to leave before being stopped when he realised Blaire wasn't right behind him.

He turned to see her hugging Sam, her arms holding him lovingly and he realised at that moment that he was looking at the reincarnation of their mother. Blaire was so like Mary in her heart it was unbelievable and he found it suffocating all of a sudden. He needed air, and when Blaire had kissed Sam goodbye, the two left to go and hunt the beast that maybe could protect Madison from death.

* * *

"It was sort of sad, actually..." Dean said as he and his siblings sat in the Impala after the werewolf had been killed, "Glen had no clue what was going on. Why do you think he turned Madison, instead of just killing her?"

"I don't know." Sam replied, "He kinda seemed to have a thing for her."

"Maybe his primal instinct did it too." Blaire added.

"Maybe he was looking for a little hot breeding action." Dean said, Blaire sighing and running her hand over her face, "By the way, Blaire spent the night with a girl."

"What?" Sam asked, turning to look at his sister, "How did he find out about that?"

"She was checking out your girl." Dean said, "She told me she had to on a hunt once, and she got drunk and spent the night with some hot girl."

"You're bi?" Sam asked, Blaire shaking her head.

"Late experimenter." She replied, "I happen to think there are a lot of nice looking girls around, I just...don't wanna spend my life with one, that's all. I like my men."

The knocking on the window broke apart the banter and Sam rolled his down to see Madison on the other side.

"Y'know, for a stake out, your car's a bit conspicuous." She said, "What are you still doing here?"

"Honestly?" Dean asked, "We're pretty sure you're not gonna turn tonight."

"But we gotta be a hundred percent, so, y'know, we're lurking." Blaire added, winking at her which Madison noticed and smiled at.

"Look, I know this sounds crazy..." Sam began.

"Sure does..." Madison said, "Well, if we're gonna wait it out, we might as well do it together."

She let the family into her apartment and closed the door, sighing and walking towards them.

"You were telling the truth, weren't you." She sighed, "About everything. What you did...it was to help me."

"Yeah." Sam replied.

"I did all those horrible things...when I turned." Madison said, the guilt totally present in her big brown eyes.

"You didn't know." Sam told her with unbelievable gentleness that made Blaire realise just how loving her brother really was.

"So when will we know for sure?" Madison asked, "Moonrise?"

"No, I don't think so." Sam whispered, "You turned in the middle of the night last night. I think we gotta hang in until sun-up."

"Well, it looks like we got ourselves a few hours to kill." Dean said, "Poker, anyone?"

* * *

The following morning came and everyone sighed with relief when the sun rose. It had been a somewhat awkward night with all the interrupting Dean had been doing when Madison and Sam had been staring lovingly into each other's eyes. Blaire resorted to playing cards with him just to shut him up. God, he was irritating sometimes.

"Does that mean it worked?" Madison asked, Sam nodding softly.

"Yeah...I think so." He replied, suddenly being hugged by Madison.

Blaire giggled and hugged Dean who pushed her off of him, blushing a little and kissing her cheek. She could see the way Madison and Sam were looking at each other and she grabbed Dean's hand.

"Y'know I really need food, we should go back to the motel." She said, dragging her brother away, "Come on, babe. I got some lore I need to talk to you about."

* * *

The banging on the door frightened Blaire to death and she sprinted to it, opening it to find Sam panicking on the other side.

"She turned!" He panted, Blaire grabbing him and pulling him inside.

"What?" She asked, steadying Sam as he shook in her arms.

"I couldn't grab her in time." He said, Dean grabbing his gun and silver bullets.

"We'll find her, okay?" Blaire said softly, loading up her own gun, "Shhh..."

She pulled him close and kissing his temple, rubbing his back to try and calm him as she used to when they were kids.

"I already called Bobby." Sam explained as they left the motel, "He doesn't know anything except, he knew severing the bloodline wouldn't work. Everyone says it's impossible to reverse it."

Blaire listened to her brothers arguing and in her head there was only one way to stop this happening again. Madison had to die. The most decent thing would be to let the girl do it herself. If she had to die, she should get to do it herself in her own time. If not, Sam said he'd do it, but Blaire knew he'd be too upset to and Dean wouldn't show any sensitivity whilst killing the girl so if push came to shove, she'd do it. She just hoped that Sam would forgive her for it.

For the first time in God knows how many years, Blaire cradled a distraught Sam in her arms on the floor of Madison's apartment that night. Dean found it too hard to watch his brother break down like he had done and Blaire just held him, and though she was in tears herself, she was trying her best to be strong for her baby brother who was sobbing like his world was ending.

"Shhh..." She whispered as the gun fell from Sam's hand, "Shhh, Sam. You did the right thing by her, and by the people in the city, okay?"

Dean looked up from where he stood as Blaire began to sing to Sam to soothe him, a lullaby of all things. It was his favourite song when he was a kid.

"_Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,  
That saved a wretch like me.  
I once was lost, but now I'm found.  
Was blind, but now I see." _

Sam had never, ever collapsed in that way. He'd never gone down like that, Dean had never seen anything like it, and thank God that Blaire was more sensitive and soothing than he was or they'd never get Sam out of there. It had taken all his strength to let go of Madison's body never mind anything else.

"We need to leave, baby." Blaire whispered, beckoning Dean over, "Come on..."

* * *

Three months later, Sam and Dean had been locked up in jail while Blaire and Bobby had been hunting together. It had been sad for her without her brothers yet she and Bobby had the best time. She loved that mine like a father and in her mind there was nothing better than driving around the country with him hunting things for a few weeks. But now, she was meeting Sam and Dean at a graveyard near the prison and to see them without overalls kinda saddened her.

She was looking forward to making fun of them both.

"Hey, guys." She said quietly, "Make any friends inside?"

"Shut up and help us, huh?" Dean sighed, grabbing a shovel and passing it to her before kissing her and giving her a quick hug, "How are you, baby?"

"Good thanks." Blaire replied.

"We gotta move it." Sam said softly, "If Henricksen gets to the lawyer..."

"I thought she couldn't say anything." Dean replied, "That lawyer-client-privilege thing."

"The privilege doesn't apply, Dean." Blaire huffed, Dean glaring at his brother.

"So she'll talk?"

"She has to." Sam replied, Dean sighing and rolling his eyes.

"Oh, that's friggin' super."

The trio started digging and Blaire just knew the cops would be coming for her brothers at any time, so she and Sam made quick work where they could. After burning the bones, the siblings headed to their car and left as quickly as possible, thankful to get away from Henricksen once more.

"We gotta go deep this time." Dean said as they drove.

"Deep, Dean?" Sam asked, "We should go to Yemen."

"Oh, I'm not sure I'm ready to go that deep." Dean replied, the three siblings sitting quietly as they headed away from Henricksen and the problems that lay with him.

Blaire watched her brother as he drove and she knew that he was getting bogged down with whatever was happening around him. He was a ticking time bomb and she knew that better than anyone. She was a ticking time bomb and so was Sam.

For the first time, Blaire realised how dangerous things were getting, and how little time they had to stop whatever was coming their way.

-TBC-

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**Hope you enjoyed!**

**Thanks for reading so far!**

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	29. Chapter 29

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **OH MY CHUCK! I'm so sorry I haven't updated this sooner, but now we're so close to then end, I've really needed motivation to get me there, and here we have another of my favourite episodes, and I hope you like the little twist Blaire has. I understand that this is a Dean central episode, but Blaire has her own special part in it. Mary says in this episode that John died of a stroke in his sleep, but John's very much alive and kicking in my version.

Thanks for all the support so far and I hope you enjoy!

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**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Dean was driving on a damp night, which all he ever seemed to drive through, when his cell phone went off. Blaire and Sam were in the motel room, both concerned by the cop car that sat right outside the window.

"Yeah?" Dean answered.

"_There's a cop car outside." _Came Sam's hushed voice.

"You think it's for us?" Dean asked.

"_I don't know..." _Sam replied.

"I don't see how." Dean said, "I mean, we ditched the plates, the credit cards..."

_"Huh...they're leaving," _Sam said with relief, _"False alarm." _

"There, see." Dean said, nothing to worry about.

"_Yeah." _Sam replied, turning around to Blaire who was drinking a beer and flipping through her old case files, _"Being fugitives is a friggin' dance party." _

"Hey, man, chicks dig the danger vibe." Dean said with a smile, Sam chuckling on the other end of the line.

"_Blaire doesn't." _He said, _"She's currently flipping you the bird." _

"Ah, tell her she doesn't know how to live yet." Dean replied, Sam and Blaire approaching books that were laid out while Blaire gently took the phone from her brother.

"_Hi, pig." _She said with a slightly pissed tone, _"You got anything yet?" _

"Are you kidding?" Dean asked, "How could I? You guys have got me sifting through fifty square miles of real estate here."

Blaire huffed, shaking her head and taking a swig of beer as she looked at the books on lore, ready to fill her brother in.

"_Oh, I'm so sorry to do that to you, big guy, but that's where all the vics disappeared from."_ She replied, "What do you want me to do?"

"Listen, I got diddlysquat!" Dean replied, "What about you?"

"_Just one thing." _Blaire said, checking through one of the older books, _"We're pretty sure of it now. We're hunting a jinn." _

"A friggin' genie?" Dean cried with exasperation, Blaire resisting the utter urge to just facepalm at his words, "What, you think these suckers can grant wishes?"

"_I don't know." _Blaire sighed, _"I guess they're powerful enough. But not exactly like Barbara Eden in harem pants. Seriously, jinn have been feeding off people for centuries. They're all over the Koran..." _

"My God." Dean cut her off, "Barbara Eden was hot, wasn't she? Way hotter than that _Bewitched _chick."

"_Dean, just because I kissed and slept with a girl once, it doesn't mean I wanna compare which girl's hotter than which with you." _Blaire laughed, _"Your depravity sometimes knows no bounds, y'know that?" _

"So where do the jinns lair up?" Dean asked.

"_Oh, ruins usually." _Blaire replied, _"The bigger, the better. More places to hide." _

"Well, I think I saw a place a few miles back, I'm gonna check it out." Dean told her.

"_Oh, no, you don't." _Blaire said, _"Come and pick Sam and me up first." _

"No, I'm sure it's nothing." Dean said, "I just wanna take a look around." _  
_

Blaire found herself fearing for her brother's life, and as he hung up, so did she, turning to look at Sam with worried eyes. Sam knew that look anywhere. Dean was going it alone and they weren't invited. Sam felt worried then, and as he looked to his older sister he saw that she was just so tired of it all. Tired of the job, tired of the risk. Tired of the life. Sam began to wonder what life would've been like if things had been different and if Mary and Jess hadn't died.

He and Blaire had no idea that Dean was about to find out.

* * *

Dean entered the old building holding his flashlight, looking out for any sign of disturbance, or any sign of a jinn anywhere. He was a little nervous if he was honest, doing this without the back up of his siblings, but he was pretty sure there was nothing lurking about. He began to wonder if it would be a good idea to turn back, but he got the feeling that someone...something...was watching him. God, he hated that feeling. He hated it more than anything.

Getting his knife ready, he took a quick breath and jumped around the corner, finding nothing there but an empty corridor. He checked behind him. Nothing. Back in front of him. Nothing. He ventured down the corridor, trying to swallow back nervousness only to walk straight past what he was looking for. And without warning, it slammed him into a wall.

He was powerless, in the grips of a creature that he was sure was going to seriously hurt him and he tried to ignore the blue glow of power that rested on it's hand. His heart was pounding furiously in his chest as it touched his forehead and then...

Nothing.

Back at the motel room, Blaire shivered as the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stood and she and Sam shared the exact same look. Dean was in trouble.

* * *

Dean shot up in bed, realising that whatever room he was in wasn't his own. He looked to the TV, seeing some kind of monster movie on there before he turned to find a naked girl in the bed beside him. She was sleeping pretty peacefully, and her body was wrapped in the beige sheets of the bed they were both in. She was dark haired and fucking beautiful if he was perfectly honest, but he was freaked out because he had no idea where he was. He didn't remember her or the place he was in, so after getting dressed, he headed out to explore where he was.

He turned the lights to the living room, and the first number he found was Sam's on his phone, and immediately called his brother.

"_Dean?" _

"Sam?" Dean breathed.

"_What's going on?" _Sam asked.

"I don't know." Dean replied in a hushed voice, "I don't know where I am..."

"_What?" _Sam asked, _"What happened?" _

"Well the jinn, it attacked me." Dean replied, not realising that the Sam he was speaking to had no idea what he was talking about.

"_The gin?" _Sam asked, _"You're drinking gin?" _

"No, you ass-hate, the jinn!" Dean snapped, "The scary creature, remember? It put it's hand on me and then I woke up next to some hot chick!"

Damn, was she a hot chick.

"_Who, Carmen?" _Sam asked with a slight laugh.

"Who?" Dean asked.

"_Dean, you're drunk. You're drunk dialling." _Sam replied.

"I'm not!" Dean protested, now feeling incredibly scared about the situation since he didn't know where he was or who this Carmen girl was or anything, "What's going on?"

"_Look, it's late, alright?" _Sam said with a smile, _"Just get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" _

"What?" Dean hissed, "Sam! Sam!"

But Sam hung up. The younger Winchester grinned to himself, closing his book on criminal law and procedure.

Dean, meanwhile, headed over to the table and flicked through the mail, finding his name and a real address on them in his home town of Lawrence, Kansas.

"Lawrence?" He asked, "What the hell?"

He didn't notice Carmen come into the doorway, wrapped in a blue robe.

"Honey?" She said softly, approaching Dean looking so stunningly beautiful he wanted to just take her where she was, "What are you doing up?"

"Hey, Carmen..." He said with a slight pause, "Yeah, Carmen, I just..."

"Awww, you can't sleep, huh?" She said softly, Dean chuckling and just agreeing to it, "Well, why don't you just come back to bed and see if I can do anything to help..."

"Sure." Dean replied, trying to decide whether this was right or wrong, "In a minute, you go on ahead."

"Okay." She said with a smile, "Don't stay up too long."

"No." Dean replied, a little shocked when she leaned up and kissed him.

He watched her leave, smiling at her as she did him before the horror flooded his system at the fact that he was somewhere that he didn't know, Sam didn't seem to think anything was wrong, and he had some girlfriend named Carmen who happened to want to go to bed with him. He headed over to a cabinet of pictures, looking at a beautiful one of Carmen laying on the beach. Photos of him and her together, and then seeing one that he never believed would be real. Not ever. He had to know. He just had to.

He arrived outside his parents' home, and he realised that he was in a much better world. He knocked on the door of his childhood home, hoping and praying to see his mother and father on the other side of the door. He was met by his mother. Mary Winchester was standing right in front of him.

"Dean?" She said softly, taking in the look of worry on her son's face.

"Mom?"

"What are you doing here?" She asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

"I don't know..." Dean replied emotionally, Mary taking his hand and rubbing it gently.

God, it was his mother...the same mother that he, Blaire and Sam had all lost as little kids, the mother that Blaire saw as a ghost, the mother that Sam couldn't remember.

"Well, come inside." She said softly, "Come on, sweetie...Carmen just called and said you took off all of a sudden."

"Carmen?" Dean asked, "Right...Let me ask you a question. When I was a kid, what did you always tell me when you put me to bed?"

"Dean, I don't understand..." Mary said softly.

"Just answer the question." Dean said, trying not to snap or break down.

"I told you angels were watching over you." Mary said with a softened expression.

"I don't believe it." Dean breathed, walking over to her and just sweeping her into his arms.

"Honey...You're scaring me." Mary said softly, "Now, tell me what's going on..."

"You don't think that wishes can really...?" Dean began, finding himself struck with emotion.

"What?" Mary asked, clearly confused.

"Forget it." Dean said, hugging her again and trying so hard to not just cry with happiness, "Forget it, I'm just...uh...I'm just happy to see you, that's all. You're beautiful."

"What?" Mary asked again, watching him walk over to the photos.

His eyes rested on one of his father, Mary, himself, Blaire and Sam, the three siblings all young kids. And then they rested on one of Sam and Jess. Then they rested on one of a what he thought to be like...the ones Blaire had in the back of her diary. Of a baby in a womb...

"Dean, if you're having another freak out about becoming an uncle, your father and I keep telling you, you're gonna be fine."

"A what?" Dean asked, Mary blinking at him strangely.

"An uncle..." She laughed, "Blaire's almost due, remember? Just a couple of weeks to go and we'll have little Ashley with us."

"Ashley?" Dean asked.

"Yeah...I thought she told you that." Mary said quietly, watching Dean's eyes flash with confusion.

"Where's her house?" Dean asked, leaving his mother confused again.

"Dean, you know it's...It's on the next street..." She said, "If you need to know, number thirty and she has her Mini outside...You been drinking, honey?"

"N-no..." Dean replied, "Thanks...Give Dad my love, okay?"

Wow, that sounded alien. But Mary nodded and he couldn't stop himself hugging her once more before he rushed out to find Blaire. Blaire was pregnant? Having a baby? Ashley. She was having Ashley. He was gonna be an uncle? Dear God, what kind of world had he come into?

He pulled up outside number thirty and saw Blaire wandering around with the biggest fucking bump he'd ever seen on her stomach, while she happily ate a bowl of something that looked like breakfast cereal. Someone else was waiting for her on the sofa, though. Someone they'd seen only recently. Jay. Well...if this was a normal world he probably wasn't a Trickster. Just Blaire's boyfriend...or husband...or fiancé. He wasn't sure. He'd find out though. He headed up the path just as Blaire was about to draw the curtains, and she hurried to open the door, placing her bowl on the phone table and hugging her brother to her body.

"Hey, Dean." She hummed, "What are you doing here?"

He felt choked up again when he saw how much she was glowing. She had the biggest smile on her face and as she rubbed her belly, he realised he had a little niece or nephew growing in there. He kissed her cheek tenderly and looked to her stomach, watching her step aside to let him in.

"I just felt the need to see you, that's all." He replied, "I've not disturbed you, have I?"

"No, no, of course not." Blaire replied, taking his hand and leading him into the sitting room, "Would you like a coffee?

"Sure, thanks." Dean said softly, greeting Jay with a nod who kissed Blaire's head tenderly.

"I'll get it, honey." He whispered, rubbing her belly before heading out of the room.

"So..." Dean began, "Um...when's Ashley due again?"

"Two weeks..." Blaire replied, "I can't wait to see him. I really hope he's just how I dreamed him to be."

Dean smiled goofily. She was having a boy. God, how he'd always hoped for a nephew to teach how to work on cars.

"I was thinking of getting him a toy for when he's born, that's all." Dean told her, "I want it to be special."

"Oh, thanks." Blaire smiled, "By the way, Jay's set up the stroller you and Carmen bought."

"Really?" Dean asked.

They'd bought them a stroller? God, he had a lot to learn about this new life he'd been thrown into. Blaire gasped, and Dean's immediate thought was that she was in labour and inwardly he panicked because there was no way he was delivering a baby on this living room floor, certainly not his sister's.

"Someone's excited to see you!" She said in a sing song voice, drawing Dean closer to let him touch her bump which he saw moving around a little, "Wow, someone's on the move tonight."

"He keep you up a lot?" Dean asked, earning a nod.

"Oh, hell yeah. You remember at the park last week how I was dropping to sleep on the bench?" She asked, Dean just nodding even though he didn't know what she was talking about, "'Cause of Ashley. And someone snoring!"

Jay laughed and shook his head, bringing in his and Dean's coffee and Blaire's water which she sipped daintily. He watched Jay kiss the bump on her belly gently, and he smiled at the obvious love between them.

"We're so excited." Jay grinned, "I can't wait to see my little boy for the first time."

"I've been teaching him how to change diapers. Mom's been teaching me." Blaire laughed, "And Dad's been giving Jay advice for when I'm in labour."

"I'll look after you, baby." Jay smiled, "You can be sure of that."

Blaire grinned and kissed him, taking a sip of water and smiling at her older brother who looked a bit lost as to where he was.

"Dad's promised to let you all know when I go into labour, so..." She began, "You'll know when I start, and I'm sure you'll know when I'm finished."

"Is Mom going with you?" Dean asked, knowing that Blaire had always wanted her mother as a birthing partner.

"Yes, of course." Blaire replied, "And if not, Jess. Maybe Carmen if Jess can't make it. And if none of the girls can make it, then it's either you, Dad or Sam."

"Oh, look how pale he's gone." Jay laughed, Blaire kissing her brother's hand and squeezing it tightly.

"Don't worry, I think Mom's going to be more than able to be there." She laughed, keeping her brother engaged in conversation until he finished his coffee.

Dean couldn't believe the size of that bump. He had to admit, Blaire looked fucking beautiful with it, and he really, really wished he could just photograph her right now, just looking like this. She was just glowing with her maternal instinct, and he knew she'd make a wonderful mother. It just cut him deeply that in reality she could never be a mother. Like she often dreamed of being.

"I'm so, so sorry to cut this lovely evening short," She began, "But Carmen's a bit worried, Dean."

She held up her cell phone and Dean suddenly felt his vibrating with a message from Carmen asking where he was. He decided to go back to his house and get some sleep, but not before going over to Blaire and rubbing her bump, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Goodnight, Ashley." He whispered, "Night, Blaire."

Blaire got up with the help of Jay and followed her brother to the door, Jay staying close to her. "Goodnight, Dean." She said softly.

"Night, Jay." Dean said with a smile.

"Night, Dean." Jay replied, "If anything happens, we'll call you."

"Thanks." Dean said softly on his way out, hugging Blaire once more and patting Jay on the shoulder.

He headed back home, wondering what kind of life would be waiting for him the next morning. Although, he really did want to check out the jinn. See if there was any lore on it in this normality. If there was, he needed to read up on it, because he couldn't help worrying about the real Sam and Blaire who were no doubt worrying about him and waiting for him.

-TBC-

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**Hope you enjoyed!**

**Thanks for reading so far! **

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**


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Okay, so it's an hour and three quarters later than planned but here it is! The comic is being started tonight for the first edition. I'll do a better job this time I hope. Hope you like this chapter and there's a lovely surprise at the end. We're drawing closer to the end of this story and getting closer to the really important parts of Blaire's life. I really wish this was more popular than it seems, because this is my biggest project and I have so many plans for the later stories.

Enjoy this chapter and sorry for the delay!

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**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Thirty**

Dean awoke again in this strange new world and he knew that he had to find out why he was still there, since he hadn't expected to be. So, he went to the local university to find out. Not that it wasn't incredible to have his whole family living, as well as living the life they all should've had, but he was concerned that he'd never get back to the real world he came from. Back to where his siblings were probably worried sick about him. He went to meet a college professor, lying through his back teeth just so that he could get answers.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in my classes before." The professor said, looking at Dean a little suspiciously.

The professor was African American. A smart dressed man who wore glasses. In Dean's mind, he was a typical college professor, and the man was quite nice to talk to, Dean found.

"You kidding me?" The hunter replied, "I love your lectures. You...you make learning fun."

He gagged inwardly. Ugh, those words had _not _just come out of his mouth. He hated learning. Even learning about supernatural creatures had bored him stiff, but he had to lie to get what he needed.

"So, what can I do for you?" The professor asked, giving Dean confidence that his cute charm was working.

"What can you tell me about jinns?" Dean asked.

Being a man who didn't cushion any kind of question by going around the houses, he got straight to the point. He had to know all he could to get home because as nice as the apple pie life was, he knew he could never and would never have t. The two began looking over books, articles, anything that contained information about jinns. The professor began to explain while Dean listened intently. He needed to know because quite simply, he had a home to get to.

"A lot of Muslims believe the jinn are very real." The professor explained, "They're mention in the Qu'ran."

Dean was growing a little impatient, since his siblings were probably very concerned for his health. They'll have known something had happened to him. They always had that strong sibling bond, always knew when something was wrong.

"Yeah, I know." Dean said, "Get to the wish part."

"What about it" The professor asked, obviously curious about Dean's motives.

"Do you think they could really do it?" The hunter asked, taking the professor quite clearly by surprise.

"Um...No." He replied, "No, I don't think they can really do it. You understand these are mythic creatures."

"Yeah. No, I know." Dean answered, "I know. But I mean, in the stories. Y'know, say you had a wish but you never even said it out loud. Y'know like that...uh...That a loved one never died or that something awful never happened."

"Supposedly, yes." The professor explained, "I mean, they have godlike power. They can alter reality however they want. Past, present, future."

"Why would the jinn do it?" Dean asked, "What, self defence? Or maybe it's not really evil."

"Son?" The professor asked, earning a hum from Dean, "You been drinking?"

"Everyone keeps asking me that." Dean answered a little sadly, "But, no."

Following the meeting with the professor, Dean headed out to his car, opening the trunk to find used drink cup and a couple of magazines. As if! No weapons, no luggage...Just..._normal _stuff. He grinned, rubbing the lid of the trunk slightly as a feeling of excitement washed over him for a moment. He'd not felt like that in a long time.

"Who'd have thought it, baby?" He asked the car, "We're civilians."

He closed the trunk and looked around to see a brunette woman in white standing there, just staring. People seemed oblivious to her and Dean's hunting senses began to tingle. As he went to get a closer look at her though, a car screeched to a halt in front of him, and when he turned back to look for the girl, she'd gone.

* * *

After his odd encounter, Dean went back to see his mother, who made him a toasted sandwich. John was working while Mary stayed in the house as usual, just in case Blaire went into labour. That was something that was playing on Dean's mind too. How his baby sister would cope in labour. She'd have Jay and Mary, sure, but would she be as strong as Blaire in the real world? Would she have the same amazing pain threshold, or would it be too much for her? He shook the thoughts away, biting into the sandwich and moaning at the taste, immediately going to praise his mother's culinary skills.

"This is the best sandwich ever!" He called with a full mouth.

"Thank you." Mary replied from the kitchen.

"I tried to get a hold of Sam earlier." Dean called again, "Where is he?"

"Oh, he'll be here soon." Mary answered, putting the ingredients back in the fridge.

"Good." Dean replied, "I'm dying to see him."

"Sweetie, don't get me wrong." Mary began, approaching the table and sitting beside her son, "I'm thrilled you're hanging out here all of a sudden. But, uh...Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Work?" Dean asked.

"At the garage...?" Mary replied.

"Right, the garage." Dean said, thinking as quickly as he could, "That's where I work, yeah. No, I got the day off."

Mary looked a little worried but Dean didn't see. He was too busy looking out the window.

"That lawn looks like it could use some mowing." He said, not noticing Mary's troubled expression.

"You wanna mow the lawn?" She asked.

"You kidding?" Dean grinned, "I'd love to mow the lawn."

"Knock yourself out." Mary replied, "Think you'd never mowed a lawn in your life."

So Dean got to work mowing the lawn. He never had mowed a lawn in his life. He'd never had the damn chance with the life he and his siblings had. It took a little getting used to a first but it felt amazing for him to be able to do normal things without worrying about supernatural things, about his brother's destiny, his sister's powers or her exorcising abilities. Just normal family stuff. The day was beautiful, so clear and so bright, and he knew Sam would be there soon. And as he carried on mowing the lawn, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, handsome!"

He looked to see Blaire and Jay approaching, their arms around each other as Blaire padded along slowly in her maternity dress. She was waddling slightly but then again, she did have an enormous baby bump on her front. He smiled, so happy to see his sister, and he wanted to keep this image of her forever, this image of her glowing with the motherhood she'd never had the chance to have.

"Hey, you!" He replied, stopping the mower and heading over to her, "You guys okay?"

"I'm hungry." Blaire replied, hugging Dean tightly while Jay rolled his eyes affectionately, "How are you?"

"Good thanks." Dean replied, "Mom's inside."

Jay grinned and patted Dean's shoulder, and Dean wanted to get to know the guy better, so he asked him how he was dealing with the thought of becoming a father. It was an obvious question really, but one where he could really get to know the guy's character and how he would cope with thing.

"So...getting closer to the big day, huh?" He said with a smile, "How are you...y'know...coping?"

"I'm nervous." Jay replied with a soft sigh, "Scared of being a bit of a failure to Blaire. I'm not the calmest guy under pressure but I'm sure I'll be fine. You have to be when it comes to your kids."

"Yeah, you do." Dean grinned, "You excited?"

"Every time she touches her bump I wonder if she's started. I feel disappointed when she hasn't, but we have at least two weeks before due date, so..." Jay said heartily, "Fingers crossed. She's getting fed up of being pregnant now. She gets a bit upset and moody if Ashley won't stop moving around. She cried the other day because she's so uncomfortable. God help us if the kid's late."

Dean chuckled and watched Jay go inside, grinning as he saw a car pull up outside the house. He longed to see the version of Sam that lived in this amazing world and he had to fight his smile.

"I don't believe it..." He breathed, watching Sam and Jess climb out of the car.

He couldn't stop himself. He had to just go and hold that girl who'd made Sam so happy and who Sam was hunting with him again for. This girl had brought Sam back to him because of how she died, and that made him feel guilty but he couldn't help but pull her to his chest.

"Jessica..." He breathed, not realising he was cutting off her oxygen.

"Good to see you too, Dean." She said quickly, "Um...can't breathe..."

He let her go instantly and laughed, looking to his brother who was wearing clothes he never thought he'd see on the kid. White zip up jacket, decent looking jeans, yellow button up shirt. And the smile on Sam's face was amazing to see.

"Sammy, look at you." He grinned, "You're with Jessica. I don't believe it. Where'd you guys come from?"

"We just flew in from California..." Sam said, confused about what was up with his brother.

"California?" Dean asked, "Stanford, huh? Law school I bet."

Dean kept forgetting that he was supposed to know this stuff but he couldn't help his excitement. Ah, let everyone think he'd been drinking or something. It wouldn't matter. And Sam looked to the beer in Dean's hand and it seemed like the drinking was a familiar thing. Well...He did drink a lot, but in their line of work, drink was what actually kept them same a lot of the time.

"I see you started Mom's birthday off with a bang as usual." Sam said, shocking Dean for a moment.

"Wait, Mom's birthday, that's today?" He asked, taking in Sam's incredulous look.

"Yeah. Yeah, Dean, that's today." Sam told him, "That's why we're here. Don't tell me you forgot..."

Dean felt such a jerk. He wished he could be back with his real family in the real world at that moment, because this stuff was too much to remember and too much to take in. Yeah, sure, it was nice seeing everyone happy, but he was so used to his other life, he felt nowhere near ready to embrace this one.

And that thought scared the living crap out of him.

* * *

A bustling restaurant, calm music, and four couples sat around one large table.

Dean was happy to see his parents so in love, and it made him miss them even more. He realised what their love was and he knew how pained his dad had been to lose his mother like that. Blaire and Jay were sat close together, smitten as kittens, and Sam and Jess were too. Meanwhile, Dean felt a little awkward with Carmen. He knew nothing about her, but she was sure damn beautiful and she clearly loved him. That was enough for him at that point. As the waiter brought him his food, Dean eyed it up and couldn't believe that was what he was going to it.

"Wow, that looks...Awesome..." He said, everyone laughing in response.

"Alright," Sam said softly, "To Mom...Happy birthday."

Everyone raised their glasses and wished Mary a happy birthday, and as they toasted to her, John decided to give his own speech. Dean watched his father as he gently covered Mary's hand with his own, and he saw how tender he could really be. It hit something inside him that this life was what they could've had. No monsters, no evil, no demons, none of it.

"Okay, to my lovely wife Mary..." John began, "You...There are no words really. You're the most incredible woman I've ever met. You've raised three beautiful children, you've taken care of me and you're taking care of Blaire who's about to bring us our first grandchild. I never ever believed I'd end up spending the rest of my life with such a hard working, wonderful, beautiful woman, and I love you so, so much. Happy birthday."

And with that he kissed her lovingly, the other couples sharing soft kisses while Blaire suddenly gasped and pulled away from hers.

"Baby...?" Jay asked, "You alright?"

Dean whipped his head around to look at Blaire who looked worried and her hand resting on her bump as she suddenly winced in pain.

"Have you started, sweetheart?" Mary asked, immediately concerned.

"I think so..." Blaire breathed, looking at Mary tearfully, "Momma..."

"It's going to be fine, baby, don't worry." Mary soothed, going to get her coat.

"Mom, you stay..." Blaire said, breathing carefully, "Sorry, your birthday meal's ruined..."

"Oh, sweetie, it isn't..." Mary said softly, getting up and going to her daughter, kissing her on the cheek softly, "It's getting even better because my little grandson's on the way, huh?"

"Mary, you stay and enjoy your meal," Jay said softly, "I'll call you when we're getting closer to delivery..."

"Okay." Mary whispered, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Blaire said as a tear slipped from her eyes.

Dean watched his sister, concerned about the pain she was in as everyone else was. Mary shook her head for a moment and walked over to her seat.

"Okay, we all need to go." She said, "Tonight's been lovely, and thank you all so much, but Blaire is our priority and so is the baby. I think that it's my duty as her mother and second birthing partner to be there, so we're all gonna go right now. We can all go to the hospital and wait."

"Mom..." Blaire began, watching her father get the bill money out and set it on the table, "Dad, please...Don't let me wreck tonight."

"Sweetheart, your mom's right." John said, helping Mary put her coat on, "You and the baby are more important right now. We're all gonna go to the hospital."

Dean could tell his sister felt guilty but then as she began to wince in pain again, he understood that right now, she really was the priority.

* * *

Dean soon realised that he and Sam didn't seem to get along well at all, and that broke him a little inside because of how close the siblings were in their reality. He decided he needed to go and check on the sibling he got on the best with in this reality, and he knocked on the door to her hospital room, entering carefully to find her in the middle of a contraction. Jay sat by her side, holding her hand and Mary sat by her other side, stroking her hair gently.

"There, there," Mary soothed, "You're doing so well, beautiful, keep going..."

The contraction subsided and Dean moved carefully towards the bed, and Mary stood up to let him sit by his sister. Blaire smiled despite the tears in her eyes and she took his hand as Jay gently stroked her head, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Hey..." Dean said softly, "How are you doing?"

Blaire laughed a little and kissed his cheek, resting back against the pillows tiredly. She looked well, but Dean knew she was hurting and tired, so in all honesty, he had no idea why he'd asked her, but he thought it would just be the considerate thing to do as her brother.

"I'm doing better than I thought. It hurts, but I can deal with it." She said with a smile, "Dad's not too worried is he? Jess says he's pacing."

"He's worried because you're his princess and you'll always be his princess." Dean laughed, "That's all. He doesn't want anything to happen to you or the baby, and he hates to know you're suffering and he can't help you."

"That sounds like your father." Mary said softly, while Dean saw the pain cross Blaire's features again.

"Breathe..." He said softly as she began to suffer another contraction.

He stroked her hair with tenderness, looking into her pain filled eyes and speaking softly to her. He often did this when they were younger and she'd get hurt on a hunt. He'd lay right by her and soothe her the best he could while John or Sam patched her up. It helped him cope with her suffering too.

"There we go...Good girl..." He whispered, grimacing as she settled down tiredly, "You're doing so well and we're all really proud of you, okay?"

* * *

The group in the waiting room shared worried looks as Blaire cried out in pain from her room, and Carmen gently rubbed Dean's back as he rested his head in his hands. He knew that the pain was a natural thing and that it was hard to cope with but he didn't feel good about his sister hurting so much at all. Sam was even wincing, and so was John. Jess was rubbing Sam's back and holding John's hand while Dean and Carmen stayed close together.

The crying of a baby broke the tension and the whole family grinned, sharing hugs and kisses as Mary emerged from the room in tears, a big grin on her face. Blaire was a mother, and Jay was a father, Jess and Carmen were aunts, Dean and Sam were uncles, and John and Mary were grandparents.

"God...He's beautiful..." Mary beamed, rushing forwards and hugging John, "He's the most gorgeous little guy I've ever seen..."

"Can we go and see him?" Dean asked, desperate to see his sister.

"In a few minutes. They just need to clean him up and see to Blaire." Mary replied, "She did so well, but she's hurting a lot and she's very tired."

The others nodded in understanding and waited patiently to be told they could see her. And finally when the doctor emerged, they all headed in together, smiling as a tearful, glowing Blaire lay looking into the bundle in her arms. A tiny hand emerged and everyone gasped as it gripped the finger of Jay who shed a tear himself and also looked at the bundle.

"Hey..." Mary said softly, both new parents looking up at the family who stood by the door, "Can we come in?"

"Of course..." Blaire beamed, bursting into tears as John moved straight to her and kissed her forehead, "This is your grandson, Ashley."

John smiled and his eyes sparkled tearfully as he took the little baby boy into his arms. Each person in the room got to hold the child and as Dean took him into his arms he felt the tears burning in his eyes, and he couldn't stop them as they began to fall.

"Who's a gorgeous boy?" He whispered, "My God, I'm an uncle..."

Carmen let out a tearful laugh and she kissed him gently, taking the baby into her own arms. Dean looked to Blaire who smiled at him softly, and he winked at her, moving over to her to give her a kiss and a hug, and he held her like it was the last time he ever would. His sister was the mother she'd always wanted to be, but the harsh reality hit him that his time in this world would probably not last forever.

-TBC-

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**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for reading so far! **

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **WOW! Sorry its been so long with this! Like I said, it's my priority! I want to move on to the season 3 story! Thank you for all your support so far! I'm pretty sure some of you are desperate for Castiel to get involved etc, etc, and I have lots planned for those later stories, so I'm trying to work on them as much as possible. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I've moved straight from the alternate reality to the real world because as RubinAmigo said, the episode needs to be rounded off. I'm trying to get as much support for this series from beginning to end as possible so that people learn and understand Blaire in time for the bigger seasons. ENJOY!

You guys are awesome! Thanks for having so much faith in this story!

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**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Thirty-One**

In reality, Sam and Blaire had hunted their brother down, and found him hanging by his wrists with his eyes open, barely conscious.

Blaire's eyes welled up with worry, as they always did when one of her brothers got hurt or was in danger while both she and Sam desperately called his name, trying to bring him back to reality and consciousness. Their hearts both beat frantically in their chests as their brother hung there near lifeless, a horrible grey colour as his eyes were half lidded, body hanging and swaying slightly which made it all the more creepy.

"Dean!" Blaire yelled, "Dean, wake up!"

"Oh, God...come on!" Sam breathed, "Come on!"

Blaire saw a little recognition in Dean's face and acted on her instinct...which was to shake him and shake him until he came fully back to them. Bastard jinn. Not worth their fucking trouble. Sam watched her worriedly as her eyebrows knotted together in anxiety and fear, as well as panic and emotion.

"Wake up, damn it!" She shouted, hearing a soft groan come from him and his eyes fluttered which caused her to grin beautifully, "Hey...Hey, honey..."

"Auntie Em..." Dean murmured, causing both Blaire and Sam to look confused, "There's no place like home."

Blaire laughed with relief while Sam still looked concerned. Hardly surprising given how grey and sickly his face was. Both younger siblings thanked God as they looked for a way to get their brother to safety. His health, his safety, his life were their priorities at that time and they needed to do whatever they could to help him.

"We thought we'd lost you there, Dean..." Blaire smiled, kissing his cheek as Sam went to remove the needle he discovered sticking in his brother's neck.

"You almost did." Dean replied weakly, wincing as Sam pulled it from his skin, "God..."

"Shhh, shhh..." Blaire soothed, "We're gonna get you out of here, sweetie."

Sam began to cut Dean down, while Blaire scanned the area and physically jumped as a pair of electric blue eyes shone at her through the darkness.

"Jesus Christ!" She yelled, swiftly pulling out a knife and starting to battle with the jinn as Sam quickly cut Dean down.

The young woman ducked as it swung to grab her and she kicked it hard in the stomach, sending it stumbling backwards while she drew another knife, a longer one that often remained hidden inside the long handle. She slit the creature's wrists as it blocked a motion and spun it round, stabbing it hard in the back. Both Dean and Sam watched as she showed it no mercy and dug the knife in deeper.

This concerned both of them. She normally felt guilty after killing something but right then, she showed no emotion. Face angry and dark, eyes almost black, she twisted the blade, not even flinching as the beast screeched in agony.

"That's for hurting my brother, you piece of shit." She snarled, pulling out the blade as her brothers headed towards her.

They scanned the room and found another girl hanging there, and Dean, upset as he was, believed her to be dead, until he spotted a tear rolling down her face.

"She's still alive..." He breathed, "Sam...Blaire..."

Sam pulled the needle from her neck while Blaire cut her down, and as the girl fell into Dean's arms, both Sam and Blaire saw their brother almost in tears as he held her in his embrace. Another side of Dean had come through, and both younger Winchester siblings realised that whatever the jinn did, it made a difference in their brother.

* * *

Dean was flipping through a magazine while Sam researched on his laptop, and Blaire was on the phone to the hospital where they'd taken the girl. Dean had been the most emotional they'd seen him in a long, long time. He was the one who didn't show his feelings on the outside. Blaire and Sam were the emotional ones. So many times, Blaire had wanted to encourage him to be more open, but Dean wasn't the type to open up. He kept things bottled up for the sake of the family and it was no good at all. Not for anyone. Blaire was now finding that she herself was beginning to take this trait and it worried her to think that she would do as Dean did and not open up. The boys had even noticed her changes in behaviour.

"Okay..." Blaire said softly into the phone, "Thank you so much for the update...Okay...Okay, bye..."

She hung up the phone and took a seat on the bed she'd shared with Sam, and looked over at her brother, concerned for him.

"That was the hospital." She began carefully, as though she was speaking to a frightened animal, "The girl's been stabilised. There's a good chance that she'll pull through."

"That's good." Dean said with a nod, not looking at his sister or brother.

"It's wonderful." Blaire smiled, "How about you? Are you alright?"

Dean coughed. Blaire knew that sign all too well. Dean was going to tell her a lie, and he wasn't going to open up. Again. She suppressed a sigh and watched him carefully, her eyes flicking to Sam who also held back a sigh.

"Yeah...I'm alright." Dean said quietly, "You should've seen it, guys...Our lives. Sam...you were such a wussy."

Sam laughed at that, while Blaire tucked her knees under her chin to listen to her brother talking, and she smiled as he looked at her.

"You...You, Blaire..." He began, stalling for just a moment.

He didn't know if he should tell her about the pregnancy. He didn't want to upset her. The loss of her baby haunted her still and would for the rest of her days and he didn't want it reaping up again, but she was waiting there, all big-eyed and beautiful, so he decided that she wanted to hear what he had to say.

"You had this massive bump when I first saw you." He whispered, "Scared me for a moment. You were balancing a bowl of cereal on it. And you had the most amazing glow about you. Maternal glow. But you and me, Sam...We didn't get along all that well."

"I thought it was supposed to be this perfect fantasy." Sam said quietly, being cut off by Dean.

"It wasn't."

Blaire wiped a tear from her eyes as one hand absently went to her stomach. She ran it up her shirt and ran a finger over the scar inflicted by her dad all that time ago and she bit her lip, resting her head on her knees in a near childish way.

"It was just a wish." Dean explained, "Yeah, I wished for Mom to live. If Mom never died, we never went hunting. And you and me, Sam, just never..."

"I know." Sam nodded, swallowing hard, "I'm glad we do. And I'm glad you dug yourself out, Dean. We both are."

"Most people wouldn't have had the strength." Blaire whispered tearfully, sniffling before she continued, "They would have just stayed."

"Yeah. Lucky me." Dean said bitterly, getting up to rest against the dresser instead, like a change of place would soothe him a little, "But I gotta tell you though, guys...Sam, you had Jess. Blaire had Jay...She had Ashley. Mom was gonna get a grandchild."

"Yeah, but Dean..." Sam began softly, "It wasn't real."

"I know." The older brother replied, "But I wanted to stay. I wanted to stay so bad."

He looked on the verge of tears, and Blaire began to shed more, because she knew that her brother was suffering. They all were suffering, and none of them really knew if the job was worth it anymore.

"I mean, ever since Dad..." Dean began again, "All I can think about is how much this job's cost us. We've lost so much. We've...We've sacrificed so much."

"People are alive because of you." Sam interjected, watching Dean bow his head, "It's worth it, Dean. It is. It's not fair. And...Y'know, it hurts like Hell, but it's worth it."

Dean then looked up at his siblings, and Blaire couldn't take it any more. She got off the bed, not caring that she was red in the face with hot tear tracks down her cheeks, not caring that her eyes were puffy and red or that she was getting emotional in front of her brothers, and she raced into Dean's arms. She gripped onto him so tightly, running her hand into the hair at the back of his head and pressing her lips to his cheek, and Dean held onto her in return before burying his face in her shoulder. And the two held each other and cried together. Eventually, Sam stood, taking his sister's hand as she reached out to him before finding himself tugged into a half embrace. Blaire held her boys close as she calmed herself and she felt grateful that she had this family to care for, watch out for, protect and love. No matter what the circumstances, as long as they had each other, nothing else in the world mattered.

_Nothing._

* * *

Another dark, damp night, and the Winchester siblings arrived at a little café on a side road and Dean was hungry. He _needed _food, desperately. Blaire's stomach rumbled audibly and all the siblings had a little laugh at that.

"Don't forget the extra onions this time, huh?" Dean said, hearing a sound of disgust from his sister.

"Ugh, how the hell can you eat all that onion? It's gross!" She cried, "You'll never get a girl while you reek of onions, Dean Winchester."

Dean glared at her in the rear view mirror and pointed a warning finger at her which she responded to with a flip of the bird. Dean had to smirk. He'd taught his sister well. He handed Sam some cash, being met with a bitchface which he and Blaire had to find a new number for, and the younger sibling snatched the money.

"Blaire has a point, dude." He said, "We're the ones who have to ride in the car with your extra onions."

"Hey, see if they got any pie!" Dean called as Sam climbed out of the car, earning bitchface number seventeen, "Bring me some pie!"

Sam headed towards the café, while Dean turned up the radio and smiled as his sister started bobbing her head to the beat of the track.

"Love me some pie." He mumbled, looking into the rear view mirror, "How's it going back there, shrimp?"

"It's going..."

Blaire stopped as the radio started playing up, fading in and out with static. Dean tapped the glass for a moment, and as it cut out, both he and Blaire sat looking around them, feeling worried that something was wrong. When they looked back at the diner, no-one was in it.

"Oh, my God..." Blaire breathed, climbing out of the car as Dean did, both running towards the diner and entering to find a man slumped over the table, blood pouring all over it.

Both pulled out their handguns, and called for their brother, inspecting the body for a second before moving through the café. Behind the cash register lay two more dead bodies and Blaire jumped as she saw them, startling her brother too. Dean opened the back door to the café, seeing nothing but muddy grass and the rain hitting the ground.

"Sam?" He called, getting no response, and feeling the panic rushing through his system as Blaire did that again their brother had gone missing.

As he closed the door, Dean felt something on his fingers, and as he looked down he found a substance he could never mistake for anything else.

"Sulfur?" Blaire asked, earning a nod from her brother and feeling herself go light headed at the thought of her brother being in danger, "Jesus, Dean...What are we gonna...?"

"Shhh..." Dean said sharply, "Come on."

He grabbed her wrist and the two headed back into the pouring rain, both shouting their brother as they both began to panic more.

"SAM!" Blaire yelled, "WHERE ARE YOU?"

Dean looked around and found Sam nowhere to be seen and the panic began to build like a tidal wave inside them. Not knowing what else to do, he let out a scream for his brother.

"SAM!"

* * *

"This is it." Bobby said as he stood over a map with Dean and Blaire, "All demonic signs and omens over the past month."

They stood by the roadside, Bobby's amazingly big truck parked opposite Dean's Impala. Blaire preferred trucks to classics. More space, cause more damage. She giggled at that part. She'd taken out many a monster while driving a truck. Much more fun than the Impala. Dean was growing impatient, and as Blaire wrapped her jacket around herself she glared at him as he started snapping a little.

"You joking? There's nothing here!" He said, earning a nod from Bobby.

"Exactly."

"There has to be something." Dean continued, "What about the normal, low-level stuff?"

"Yeah, like exorcisms...That kind of thing?" Blaire asked, a little calmer than Dean.

"That's what I'm telling you both." Bobby replied, "There's nothing. It's completely quiet."

Dean was growing even more impatient and Blaire, who was panicking inwardly as well, wished he would shut his cakehole before she did it for him.

"So how are we supposed to look for Sam, huh?" Dean asked, "What, do you we just close our eyes and point?"

"Hey, Bobby's trying to help, Dean." Blaire cut in, "Being this way isn't going to help matters. Calm down."

Her phone began to ring, and as she rubbed her brother's back she looked down at her phone and saw it was Ash calling. They'd contacted him to find out any information and she was kind of glad he'd called her and not Dean.

"Ash..." She breathed, "What've you got for me, darlin'?"

"_Okay, listen. It's a big negatory on Sam."_ Ash explained, which made Blaire feel more anxious and she knew she was starting to lose it too.

"Come on, you have to give us something...We're looking at a three-thousand mile haystack here. Please!" She begged, running a hand through her hair and closing her eyes in defeat.

This was getting harder and harder, but they couldn't stop. Sam had to be found.

"_Cool it, baby doll." _Ash said anxiously, _"I did find something. I can't talk over this line, Blaire." _

"Ash, we don't have time for this." Blaire cried.

"_Make time." _

Ash sounded scared, and Blaire didn't like that at all. He was normally calm, or funny, or just plain mad but he was actually scared, and Blaire knew that whatever it was that was making him scared was pretty dangerous.

"_Make time, okay? Because this..." _He cut himself off and then started again, _"Not only does this almost definitely help you find your brother, this is...It's huge. So get here. Now." _

With that he hung up. Bobby and Dean stood there looking expectedly as Blaire flipped her phone shut, running a hand through her hair.

"Well...I guess we're going to the roadhouse." She sighed, moving towards the Impala, "Come on."

Dean, Bobby and Blaire all climbed into the Impala and Dean started the car, beginning the journey to Harvelle's roadhouse.

* * *

"Jesus Christ..." Blaire breathed as they pulled up outside the Roadhouse, only to find it burnt to the ground.

They climbed out of the car and headed into the wreckage, all in shock at the state of the place.

"You see Ellen?" Bobby asked, earning a shake of the head from the others, "No Ash either."

"Oh, my God..." Blaire mumbled, actually quaking on the spot as she stood looking at something on the ground before she bent down to inspect it closer, and within seconds she burst into tears, "No! Damn it! Ash!"

Dean and Bobby quickly realised that she'd found the burnt remains of Ash's watch still attached to his hand, and Dean took her by the arms to pull her away. Maybe she and Ash weren't the best of friends but he'd been there for her. He'd cared. And she had very few people in her life who cared about what she did for the world, about what she did to save others, and yet another one was gone.

"Shhh..." Dean soothed, pressing a kiss to her hair as he turned her and held her in his embrace, "I know...I know..."

He shot a worrying glance at Bobby, who carefully moved over to the siblings and rubbed Blaire's back. The girl was like his own daughter. Always had been and always would be, and he wanted to show her some comfort and some support because she was going through enough. He patted Dean's shoulder as he was also shaken by what had happened and he gently touched Blaire's shoulder.

"C'mere, honey." He whispered, taking the young woman into his arms to let Dean continue searching the scene.

Their hopes of finding Sam were diminishing more and more with every passing second, and the last thing they needed to be doing was losing their hope.

-TBC-

* * *

**I know, a little shorter than normal, but I thought this was the best place to leave it. **

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**Thanks for reading so far!**

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	32. Chapter 32

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **Oh, God, I am so close to finishing this now! We're drawing closer to the next chapter in the Winchesters' life, and I have to say, I cried _buckets_ writing this chapter. It's so sad and angsty, but never fear, we have badassness awaiting us in the future with these characters, and I want to thank you all for your support with this so far! I just wish the art was coming along as nicely. ENJOY!

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**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

"This is..." Bobby breathed as he walked over the remains of the Roadhouse, a now composed Blaire and a more concerned Dean following his steps.

"What the hell did Ash know?" Dean asked, "We got no way of knowing where Ellen is, or if she's even alive...No clue what Ash was gonna tell us. Now, how are we gonna find Sam?"

Bobby knew the boy was agitated. He understood that Dean was worried about Ellen and especially his brother, so he expected the young man to be acting this way. He knew that Dean would be frightened for his brother, because Bobby felt the same thing. Blaire was sickly pale and Bobby knew that she was just as worried as both of them.

"We'll find him." Bobby breathed, both he and Dean watching as Blaire leaned against the car, eyes closing and screwing up in pain.

She looked like she was about to faint and both men breathed out her name in concern. Her heart raced, head throbbing like someone had taken a million hammers and were throwing them at her skull all at once. She heard her blood rushing through her head, feeling the ice sharp pain stabbing inside her head. It wasn't anything like what she felt before and as she put her hands to her head the image of a rusty old bell came into her head, and Dean grabbed her before she hit her head on his car.

"What was that?" Bobby asked, looking worried and scared for her.

"I-I don't know...Headache?" The young woman replied as she tried to catch her breath.

"I know you've been having migraines, Blaire, but you don't get...that..." Dean said, gesturing with his hand as he rubbed her back.

"I could've sworn I saw something..." She told them, rubbing her temples as she took in gulps of air, her skin a sickly grey colour.

"What...You mean like a vision?" Bobby asked as he watched very closely, "Like what Sam gets?"

"I'm not a psychic..." Blaire replied tiredly, rubbing her forehead.

Dean was just about to let her go when she cried out again and gripped at her head. The pain stopped and started quickly, and Dean began to panic when she dug her nails into her temples. Bobby rushed around the car to help but Blaire was oblivious to everything but the pain and the image of that bell, followed by the face of her baby brother. _Sammy!_ She groaned as her legs began to fail her and Dean tried to support her while Bobby rubbed her shoulder and back gently.

"Blaire?" Dean whispered, trying to look at her face.

"You with us, darlin'?" Bobby asked, earning a nod from the paling girl.

"Yeah, I think so...I..." She took in deep breaths of the air and rested herself for a second, "I saw Sam..."

"It was a vision." Bobby said, he and Dean sharing concerned looks.

Dean, since the incident with Sam's possession, had been growing increasingly worried about his baby sister. Blaire, despite not being one of the yellow eyed demon's chosen children, was showing signs of things in her life that were more dark and sinister than Dean had wanted for her. Her near black eyes that came whenever she killed a monster frightened him, her sudden power to exorcise a demon clean out of someone's body by just touching their forehead had scared him too, but now visions? Dean was growing very, very worried.

"Yeah...Yeah, I guess it was." She breathed, "I don't know how but..."

"I bet that was as fun as getting kicked in the jewels..." Dean said, making his sister laugh.

"What else did you see?" Bobby asked, giving Dean a look that told the older Winchester that now was not the time to be cracking jokes.

"Um..." Blaire stammered, "Th-there was a bell."

"What kind of bell?" Bobby asked, earning a shake of the head from Blaire as she swallowed down the bile that continued to rise in the back of her throat.

"Like a...Um, a big bell..." Blaire stammered, voice groggy, "With some kind of engraving on it...I...I don't know..."

"Engraving?" Bobby asked, earning a nod from Blaire as she sank a little lower, resting her head between her arms, "Like a tree...An oak tree?"

The young hunter lifted her head at Bobby, looking at the older man like he held all the answers in the world.

"Yes..." She breathed, eyes welling with tears, "Exactly that..."

"I know where Sam is..." Bobby smiled, rubbing her back, "Atta girl."

* * *

By nightfall, Bobby, Dean and Blaire reached the end of their journey. By car at least.

Blaire had vomited after the vision, and afterwards had slept, giving Dean and Bobby the chance to express their concerns about both her and Sam quietly without her hearing. She awoke as the car came to an abrupt stop and climbed out after her brother and Bobby, the dampness in the air making her hair curl around wildly as it sometimes did after a shower. A large fallen tree was blocking their way, and Blaire shivered in the cold air, pulling her jacket around her before looking to Bobby and Dean.

"Well, it looks like the rest of the way is on foot." Bobby sighed, and the trio began to prepare themselves for the trek.

As Blaire got her weapons, including a handgun, a shot gun, a flashlight and her two trusty knives, Bobby and Dean both shot worried glances at each other before the older hunter turned to her, speaking to her gently.

"You feeling okay, Blaire?" He asked, earning that sweet smile he remembered from her being a teenager.

"Yeah, thanks, Bobby." She whispered, her smile fading gradually, "I'll be even better when we find Sam."

"Amen to that." Dean breathed, closing the trunk and sighing as they looked over the area.

Mist and damp curled around them like a snake, sending shivers down their backs as they loaded their weapons. Dean, tough as ever, finished loading his shotgun and looked to his baby sister and Bobby. His small, but loving family.

"Alright, let's go." He told them, Bobby and Blaire following him and making their way towards Sam.

They made their way through, having no idea where to go, but Blaire knew...She just _knew _that they were on the right path. Her heart was thundering hard enough in her chest to make her feel sick, and the hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end. Something was wrong. Something was very, _very _wrong and there was nothing she could do to stop whatever was going to happen. Her body was tense, and she was shaking. She was truly scared and didn't know what to do.

They arrived in what appeared to be a ghost town, and as they rounded a corner, there, in the middle of the path, stood Sam who looked bruised and tired.

"Sam!" Dean called, everyone happy to see the youngest of their group.

"Dean! Blaire!" Sam called, making his way towards them.

But Blaire instantly realised that something horrible was coming, and she watched someone appear behind her brother, a knife in his hand, and everything slowed down. She and Dean both called to Sam, who didn't realise what was happening, and when the evil fucker stabbed their baby brother in the back, without thinking, Dean and Blaire broke into a frantic run. While Bobby was on the tail of the one who'd stabbed their brother, Dean and Blaire caught him as he fell to his knees.

"Sam...Sam...Hey, hey..." Dean breathed as he and Blaire tried to steady their brother's falling, heavy body.

Blaire was already crying because she realised that her worst fear, and Dean's worst fear were coming true. They were losing Sam, the brother they'd both raised and cared for, the brother that they'd fought so hard to keep safe.

"C'mere, let me look at you..." Dean panicked, touching the wound on his brother's back to reveal the extent of the blood.

Blaire sobbed, stroking Sam's hair and kissing his temple because she realised her baby brother was about to die.

"Look at me..." Dean said, clinging onto his brother, clinging onto any hope that he had, "It's not even that bad..."

But Sam was seriously on his way out, and Blaire had to bite back a scream when she saw the spirit beginning to drain from his body.

"Sammy?" Dean asked as his brother started to lose consciousness, "Sam! Hey, listen to me. We're gonna patch you up, okay?"

There was no way all they'd fought for was going to be lost. They weren't going to fail their brother. No way. They'd fix him, right? They had to fix him. Sam couldn't die. He _couldn't_! They weren't going to lose him, not for anything.

"You'll be as good as new..." Dean breathed, "I'm gonna take care of you...We're gonna take care of you, Sammy."

Sam's head was just drooping now, and Blaire felt something break inside of her when it dawned on Dean that Sam was leaving them.

"We got you..." Dean told him, "It's our job, right? Watch out for my pain-in-the-ass little brother..."

By then, Sam had gone. Blaire knew he'd gone, and barely able to contain her heartbreak, Blaire gripped him tighter, reaching out for Dean because she knew that Dean had just realised Sam wasn't responsive at all.

"Sam? Sammy?" He asked as the horrible truth sank in, "No...No, no, no, no...No...! Oh, my God...Oh, God..."

Blaire screamed, sobbing her heart out in rapid, panicky bursts as she clung to both brothers, one alive and one dead, and as Dean tried to console himself he turned to her and held onto her, feeling vulnerable and frightened as she did. Their lives as they knew them were suddenly over, and there wasn't a thing they could do to change it.

Pain ripped through both siblings and as Blaire tried to control herself, Dean began to break down. Keeping Sam between them, the pair huddled closer and cried together for the loss of their baby brother.

* * *

After Sam's body had been moved to one of the small buildings nearby, Dean and Blaire fell into separate trances, just staring at their brother's body.

He looked so innocent laying there, so grey and so peaceful. Blaire was still shedding tears. The hot droplets ran down her pale cheeks, eyes swollen and red. Her throat was sore from the sobs she'd been holding back as she stared at her older brother for a moment. Their eyes met across the room and he beckoned her closer, watching her approach him before he reached out and hugged her so gently and tenderly. He pressed his lips to her hair, breathing her in and being thankful he wasn't totally alone, but that he still had her. She cradled his head gently, running her fingers into the hair at the back of his head. Neither said a word. They just held onto each other and shared the other's grief.

"Dean? Blaire?"

Bobby's voice cut through the silence. He entered rather casually, and held up a bucket of food in his hand.

"I brought you guys this back." He told them, both releasing each other as Blaire glared at him coldly.

As if she really wanted to eat after her brother had just died in her arms. What had Bobby been thinking? She knew deep down that they needed to eat. Neither of them could bring themselves to do it, and Dean answered for them both that they were fine. Approaching the table, the siblings simultaneously picked up their bottles of beer and drank them until there was nothing left but a few droplets sailing to the bottom of the dark bottle. How appealing it looked to get lost in that bottle at that moment and pretend nothing was happening.

"Guys...I hate to bring this up, I really do." Bobby began, "But don't you think maybe it's time...We bury Sam?"

Dean and Blaire turned to look at the older hunter, in a way that seemed almost creepy, and they both shook their heads at the same time, glaring at him with eyes that looked cold...almost dead themselves.

"No." They both said, sitting at the table together while Bobby looked on, quite frankly freaked out.

"Well..." He suggested, "We could maybe...?"

"What, torch his corpse?" Dean jumped in, "Not yet."

The pain the two were going through was evident. Bobby understood how grief-stricken they both were but there had to be some sense brought to the situation. He leaned down, being stern with both of them, like they were naughty children.

"I want you to come with me. Both of you."

"We're not going anywhere." Dean said.

"Guys, please..." Bobby began, jumping as Blaire stood up from the table and threw her beer bottle into the wall.

Her anger, pain, upset, grief, tiredness and fear shot through all at once, and all Bobby saw as he looked at her was a broken, ruined woman. A woman who couldn't be repaired by just moving on.

"Would you cut us some slack?" She asked, voice raised as her eyes took on a dark, almost black look.

"I don't think you guys should be alone that's all." Bobby replied calmly, raising a hand in surrender.

He was upset about Sam too, but he needed the help of the two of them, and he didn't want them to be alone at a time like this. He was trying to calm the pair, to stop Blaire from flipping and having one of her episodes, which was the best solution at that moment.

"We won't be alone." Blaire said, "We'll have each other."

"I gotta admit, I could use your help." Bobby told her, while Dean huffed at his words, "Something big is going down. End-of-the-world big."

"Then let it end!" Dean exploded, shocking Blaire out of her state.

"You don't mean that." Bobby breathed, looking hurt by the angry tone of Dean's voice as the young man stood up.

"You don't think so?" He asked, approaching Bobby which worried Blaire instantly.

"Dean, calm down." She whimpered, wiping her eyes as more tears filled them.

"You don't think I've given enough?" Dean asked, ignoring her, "You don't think I've paid enough?"

Bobby looked heartbroken, to a point where Blaire felt guilty herself and moved around to comfort him. She placed a hand on his shoulder and then took one of his hands, glaring at her brother.

"I'm done with it." Dean said, lip trembling, "All of it. If you knew what's good for you, you'd turn around, get the hell out of here."

Blaire's grip on Bobby's hand tightened, but when Dean pushed him, she snapped, and punched her brother so hard in the face it bust his nose which began to ooze blood. This was the last thing that was needed. Dean went to apologise, but Blaire had already gone past the point of no return, and for the first time since she was a child, she had a violent outburst and began punching at her brother's chest, shoving him and gripping onto him as she burst into tears.

"You need to stop..." She cried heavily, "You don't think _I've_ given enough? I lost my baby amidst all this. My chance to be the one thing I always wanted to be. I'm only the same as you, Dean. You put your hands on him again, and I swear..."

"You swear what?" Dean asked weakly, tears in his eyes as he looked at his sister.

Before Blaire could answer, a voice interrupted them, and Blaire turned to see Bobby looking so hurt before he began to make his way to the door.

"You know where I'll be." He said quietly, hearing the girl he considered a daughter let out a pain filled sob.

"No...Bobby..."

But the older hunter left the two of them, and Blaire let her brother go, sitting him down to clean him up. They sat in silence as she fixed him up, both occasionally looking at Sam's cold, lifeless body. They needed to be together at that point, not fighting. They never fought much anyway. If they fought it was deadly serious. Never something stupid.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." She told him, "But...But, Dean, you can't ever be that way with Bobby again. He's done so much for us."

She sniffled as she reached out to touch her brother's face, wiping away a tear that slid down it. Dean knew she was right. He knew that he shouldn't have been that way with the older man and the guilt was tearing him apart. But how could Bobby expect them to carry on after this?

"Dean..."

"I know." The older brother began, "I know...I'm sorry you got upset. I'm sorry I pushed Bobby..."

"The amount of times that man has helped us out can't be counted on our collective fingers and toes. Me especially..." She whispered, "When I was a kid and ran away I'd go to him. He took care of me every time, even if I got sick."

She threw away the bloodied cloth and ran a hand through her hair, kissing her older brother's forehead.

"Never again. Or I'll make sure you live to regret it." She told him, her eyes dark as she moved to sit by Sam.

* * *

Night had fallen again, but neither Winchester sibling noticed. How could they possibly notice with what they were going through?

Time was moving so, so slowly. Blaire twirled her knife in her hand. If this was how slow time went now Sam was gone, she didn't know if she could stand it. It was a selfish thought, and she couldn't leave Dean but the pain was becoming unbearable already. She and Dean sat solemnly by their brother, the soft sound of Dean's voice filling the room as he began to talk to Sammy.

"You know, when we were little..." He began, "And you couldn't have been more than five...you just started asking questions."

Blaire smiled at the memories, and Dean looked at her as if to encourage her to continue for him. She knew what he was talking about and she swallowed back her tears with a gulp of beer to continue talking.

"How come we didn't have a mom? Why do we always have to move around?" She said, signs of a struggle with her emotions present in her sweet voice, "Where'd Dad go? I mean, he'd take off for days at a time."

"I remember, I begged you, 'Quit asking, Sammy...'" Dean said, a struggle there in his voice too, "'Man, you don't wanna know.' We just wanted you to be a kid."

"Just for a little while longer." Blaire said, sniffling and looking up to the ceiling as she lost her fight and began to cry again, "We always tried to protect you."

Dean, who had more control over his voice, continued for her.

"We tried to keep you safe. Dad didn't even have to tell us. It was just always our responsibility, y'know...? It's like I had one job."

"We had one job." Blaire said, hands in her hair, body rocking slowly as her arms slid around her middle and gripped tightly, "And we screwed it up."

"We blew it." Dean said, finally losing his battle with his emotions as well, "And for that, we're sorry. I guess that's what I do."

Blaire noticed the lack of the 'we' in that sentence because Dean had always said Blaire didn't mess up like he did. Blaire understood more. Blaire cared more and could comfort Sam better than Dean. Blaire was the one Sam sometimes turned to because he knew she wouldn't tease him.

"I let down the people I love." Dean continued, his sister getting up slowly and moving towards him, "I let Dad down. And now, I guess I'm just supposed to let you down too. How can I? Am I supposed to live with that."

"Dean...?" Blaire whispered, tears flooding down her face, "It's not your fault..."

"What are we supposed to do?" He asked the body of Sam, pushing his sister away as she tried to hug and kiss him, "I just...I need some air..."

With that, Dean left her, broken and alone.

Blaire didn't know he'd gone to a crossroads. Blaire didn't know he'd made a deal to bring Sam back. Blaire had no idea that her older brother had sacrificed himself in Sam's place. But at the moment where Sam sat up from that mattress, very much alive and clearly very confused, Blaire's heart stopped. She met eyes with Sam just once before her body went limp.

The last thing she heard before fading out of consciousness was Sam calling her name.

-TBC-

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**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for reading so far!  
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	33. Chapter 33

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **I actually believed this to be the last chapter. How wrong was I? It could take another chapter or two before we reach the end of this part in the series because I'm only part way through the final episode. I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks to everyone for their support with this so far! I really appreciate it!

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**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

While Blaire lay unconscious on the mattress that Sam's body had been laying on, the younger Winchester decided to examine what was causing the awful pain in his back.

With an oval shaped mirror in sight he turned so he could see his back, and slowly raised his shirt. Every move caused him to gasp and wince with the pain it caused, and he felt like his back had been ripped to shreds. He turned his neck, craning it slightly and saw a dark red mark in the centre of his lower back, surrounded by soreness. It was almost purple like bruising, so no wonder it hurt like a bitch.

At that moment, the door opened to reveal Dean, who first lay eyes on his unconscious sister. He was about to go to her when he spotted Sam, very much alive, standing there at the foot of the mattress which his dead body had been on when Dean left him all those hours ago. The brothers looked at each other, just for a small moment, and Sam realised how tired and worn Dean looked. How broken he looked. But hope was suddenly there in his eyes, lighting them up like fireworks almost.

"Sammy?" He breathed out, almost desperately, "Thank God..."

"Hey." Sam replied, frowning as Dean marched across the gap between them and pulled him into his arms.

But immediately, due to the pain in his back, Sam winced and screwed up his face in pain and discomfort, letting out a pained sound which Dean ignored for a second as he felt his brother's heartbeat against his chest.

"Sorry..." He said softly, "I'm sorry, man, I'm just...I'm just happy to see you up and around, that's all."

A slight murmur caused Sam and Dean's attention and both turned to see Blaire stirring on the mattress. Her lips, pale and dry, parted as she took soft breaths. Dean knelt straight beside her, sitting her up and letting her rest against his body. After she'd taken in some air and regained her composure, Dean counted to three and helped her to stand, supporting her carefully as she took in the sight of Sam. Her baby brother was there, standing in front of her, alive, breathing, looking really well and all the young woman could think to do was move forward, carefully wrap her arms around her brother's neck and embrace him. Her hands slid to his shoulders, rubbing them carefully as her lips met his cheek gently.

"Oh, Sam..." She whispered, tears spilling down her face, "I can't believe my eyes...I...You're alright..."

"The question is, are you alright?" Sam asked, "You fainted when you saw me...I don't understand..."

"Yeah, are you okay, Blaire?" Dean whispered, "You don't look too good."

Blaire smiled at her brothers, touching Sam's cheek gently. The spark of life that had vanished from her eyes had been relit and Dean was relieved. When she found out the truth about what had happened, Dean knew she'd have his balls as earrings...He didn't know how he'd tell her the truth.

"I'm fine." She whispered, "Better than I have been."

"What's happened?" Sam asked, allowing Dean to help him sit down, "What happened to me?"

Dean and Blaire looked at each other, but Dean couldn't hide anything from his sister. Something had happened. Something had been done to get Sam back, and the question was, what exactly had been done. What lengths had Dean gone to. What would be the consequences of whatever was done because good things never came without their price or their catch.

"Well..." Dean began, "What do you remember?"

"I-I saw you guys and Bobby, and..." Sam began, looking a little frightened, "Then I felt this pain, a sharp pain, like white hot, y'know? And then you both started running at me, and that's about it."

"Yeah...That kid stabbed you in the back..." Dean explained, "You lost a lot of blood. It was pretty touch-and-go for a while."

"But, Dean, you can't patch a wound up that bad...Neither can Blaire."

Blaire was sat looking at her older brother, eyes ice cold. He was lying. Something was being covered up. Something important and something big. It occurred to Blaire that maybe Dean had done something he shouldn't have to get Sam back and she really didn't want to imagine what had happened. She couldn't believe Dean was trying to lie to Sam.

"No, Bobby could." Dean said, watching Sam just absorb the information before asking a question both Dean and Blaire really wanted to know, "Who was that kid anyway?"

"His name's Jake." Sam replied with pure venom in his voice, "Did you get him?"

"No..." Blaire said lowly, "He disappeared into the woods."

"We gotta find him, guys." Sam growled, breathing heavily as his anger, the feelings of hurt and betrayal and his thirst for revenge took over, "And I swear, I'm gonna tear that son of a bitch apart."

He stood, followed by Dean and Blaire who slowed him down and steadied him. He'd be in no condition to go out hunting someone down. He needed to get some food and water into him first.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy, Van Damme." Dean said softly, "You just woke up, alright?"

"Yeah, let's get you something to eat, honey." Blaire added, "You want something to eat?"

Sam nodded, and Dean smiled at him. The way the elder siblings were dealing with Sam was like parents would a petulant child but the situation was confusing and worrying, and everyone needed to be kept calm while Sam recuperated. He was a priority.

"Okay, we're both starving. Come on." Dean said as he and Blaire began to head away.

* * *

"And that's when you guys showed up." Sam explained as he, Dean and Blaire tucked into the banquet of fast food that was laying on the rickety old table.

The younger Winchester had told his siblings what had happened during his absence. It was pretty shit actually. All of it. And the situation wasn't any better. Blaire knew of Dean's deceit and Dean knew she was trying to work out how Sam had come back. Whatever Dean had done, Blaire knew it meant bad news for them all.

"That's awful..." Dean said softly, Sam and Blaire nodding in response, "Poor Andy."

Dean took another bite of pizza as Blaire grabbed herself a slice, listening to her brother intently as he spoke. The relief that he was here was almost constantly overwhelming, and Blaire felt part of her mend itself as they all sat together as a family again. Her mind wandered to Bobby, and how he was doing after Dean's outburst. The events leading to and after Sam's death were traumatic for everyone, but Blaire was broken from her thoughts by the voice of her baby brother.

"Demon said he only wanted one of us to walk out alive." Sam told his siblings.

"And he told you that?" Blaire asked.

"Yup." Sam replied, huffing and looking to the others, "Appeared in a dream."

"He tell you anything else?" Dean asked, earning a shake of the head from Sam.

"No. No, that was it. Nothing else." Sam replied, which earned looks of slight suspicion from his older siblings, "What I don't get, guys, is if the demon only wanted one of us...How did Jake and I both get away?"

Dean paused for a second and Blaire realised that he was about to stumble on his lie, and before she could stop herself she interjected, saving her brother's ass, but as he looked at her he knew he had a lot of explaining to do.

"Well, I mean, they left you for dead." She said, stroking Sam's hand, "I'm sure they thought it was over."

When Dean got up and walked away from the table, he bit his pizza, raising his eyebrows slightly as he took a chunk into his mouth and began to chew...and to talk with his mouthful. Typical of Dean. Blaire was sure Dad never did that, so where the gross habit came from, she didn't know.

"So, now that Yellow Eyes has Jake," The oldest sibling began, "What's he gonna do with him?"

Sam stared at the table in thought, and he knew he couldn't figure out what was going to happen. Blaire thought that maybe Bobby was right. Maybe something end-of-the-world big was going to happen, and maybe they were going to be caught bang in the middle of it.

"I don't know." Sam answered, "But whatever it is, we gotta stop it."

"Well, hold on, alright?" Blaire said softly, "You need to get your rest, sweetie."

"Yeah, we got time." Dean added, while Sam looked at them like they were nuts.

"No, we don't." He told them.

"Sam, oceans aren't boiling, okay?" Dean replied, looking more worn and pale than the others had ever seen him, "Frogs aren't raining from the sky. Let's get you your strength back first."

"Well, did you call The Roadhouse?" Sam asked, "They know anything?"

Blaire felt her throat suddenly close up as tears welled in her eyes. She turned her face away and looked at the wall, trying not to cry. All she thought of was Ash's watch on his wrist, and the ruined building. She remembered how frightened he'd sounded. He'd been killed because of what he knew and Blaire knew Yellow Eyes had to have been behind it. Boy, was she gonna roast that bastard's ass for what he did...

"Blaire?" Sam asked, watching Dean's eyes go cold, "Dean? Guys, what is it?"

Dean sat down and handed Blaire a drink of water, taking her hand in his own. He had a soft spot for the emotion she'd felt towards Ash. He knew that Ash had been a good friend to her, someone she'd really cared about.

"The Roadhouse burned to the ground." He said quietly, watching Blaire's shoulders tense because she was on the verge of breaking into tears, "Ash is dead...Probably Ellen. A lot of other hunters too."

Blaire took a drink of water and turned back to face her brothers with an expression of pain and loss, one that was hard to mask for her and always had been. Sam gently wiped away a stray tear that fell down her face and whispered to her that she was okay, and she understood that he meant she was okay to cry. It wasn't a problem to her brothers if she needed to shed a few tears. But she wiped her eyes, looked to the ceiling to try and make the tears go away and she took another gulp of water, her trembling hands slowly steadying. Even Dean and Sam were tearing up.

"Demons?" Sam asked, voice breaking with emotion.

"Yeah. We think so." Dean replied as his sister ran a hand through her hair.

"It was because Ash found something." The middle sibling said with a quaking voice, "We're sure of it."

"What did he find?" Sam asked, earning shakes of the head from his siblings.

"Bobby's working on that right now." Dean replied, watching emotion fly through Sam's veins.

"Well, come on then...Bobby's only a few hours away." Sam said, standing up way too fast as Dean grabbed him to stop him.

"Stop, Sam." He said sternly, "Stop!"

"Sam, you almost died in there, okay?" Blaire breathed, more tears filling her eyes, "What would we have done if...?"

Everyone looked at each other, pain, anguish, emotion and grief clouding the area around them, emotions suffocating each individual as well as bad, dark, horrible thoughts about the situation.

"Can't you just take care of yourself for a little bit, huh?" Dean asked, pleading with Sam, "Just for a little bit?"

"I'm sorry...No..." Sam replied, ever determined.

The look in Dean's eyes almost broke Blaire's heart, but Sam wasn't about to back down any time soon, and that stubborn bastard wasn't going to lose the argument, so Dean and Blaire got packed up and the group set off to Bobby's.

* * *

Bobby answered the door to three Winchesters when he was just expecting two.

Dean looked guilty as sin. Sam looked pleased to see the older hunter. And poor old Blaire looked as though she was ready to drop at any given moment. Bobby himself looked surprised to see the siblings there, and to be honest, the look on Dean's face made Bobby realise that something had gone down that probably never should have.

"Hey, Bobby." Dean said, barely able to look at the older man.

"Hey, Bobby." Sam smiled, while Blaire gave him a very weak, very forced smile.

"Sam." Bobby breathed, "It's good to see you...up and around."

Sam nodded because the poor boy didn't suspect a thing, and Bobby got a shock when Sam stepped forward and patted his shoulder.

"Well...Thanks for patching me up."

"Don't mention it." Bobby said as Sam stepped into the house.

He glared at Dean because he knew damn well that he'd done something stupid. Dean could barely look him in the face which only confirmed the older man's suspicions. Blaire barely looked any different to him, stone cold eyes glaring at her brother from a distance.

"Well, Sam's better now. And we're back in it, so...What do you know?"

Sam noticed the looks the others were sharing and he felt confused. Tension was in the air, heavy and angry, and as Bobby showed the others through he looked to Blaire who shook her head and swallowed back tears. Dean and Sam went through to the kitchen while Bobby said he needed to ask Blaire some questions. Both brothers looked confused.

Blaire headed into the study with Bobby and he closed the door, watching the only Winchester with any real sense breathe heavily as she ran her hands into her hair.

"What's going on, honey?" He asked as she shook her head and pressed a hand to her eyes.

"I-I don't know." She breathed, letting tears fall freely down her face, "Dean's done something, I know it, and whatever it is, it isn't good...I can't bear to think he's keeping me in the dark and lying to me...I can't, Bobby..."

"Something's up." Bobby whispered, "Sam wouldn't just wake up from that, we all know that. And Dean's fed him some bullshit story that I patched him up when we all know nothing could've been done for the boy."

"I don't know what to do." Blaire gasped, sobbing quietly, "I just feel so helpless, because I know Dean's lying and I don't know the truth."

"You're doing great so far." Bobby told her, "Really, Blaire. You're doing really good at dealing with all of this. Everything's been a big shock for you guys recently, so you just need to be strong for a little longer. When we've dealt with anything you can take a break and try to relax. Alright?"

He walked over to her and gently patted her back, pulling her into a hug, one that a father would give his daughter. He watched her wipe her eyes on a cloth she pulled from her pocket and she scratched the back of her head, regaining her composure.

"Help yourself to a drink." Bobby said, indicating a bottle of whiskey on his desk, "I'll get your brothers."

And Blaire couldn't help it, but she took a big swig of the stuff, coughing as it burned her throat which she used as an excuse for her watery eyes and red face. She knew deep down within her heart that at the end of all of this, something was going to come out that would change the fabric of their lives as they knew it. A whole new ball game would come into play and they'd be back on the road trying to stop something else big and ugly. She had a nagging feeling that something was going to go very, very wrong and she knew she was powerless to stop it.

She tried to calm her thoughts, looking as happy as possible as her brothers re-entered the room.

-TBC-

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**Hope you enjoyed!**

**Thanks for reading so far!  
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	34. Chapter 34

**Summary: **After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.

**A/N: **I would like to thank everyone who has read/favourited/alerted/reviewed this story. It's such a relief to know that at least somebody enjoys it and the character. We're finally at the end of the second story and I will be moving onto the third instalment shortly! I can't wait to get started and I hope more and more of you come to enjoy it as it progresses! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I hope you enjoy this final chapter, and the next story **_The Paths We Tread: Going_**_**Under** _will be up as soon as possible!

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**The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth **

**Chapter Thirty-Four **

"Well, I found something." Bobby said as the group were reunited to go over his findings, "But I'm not sure what the Hell it means."

Sam, who looked gravely concerned, asked the obvious question. From the moment Sam had gone missing, Blaire's stomach had been in knots, and she felt so, so sick she could've spewed up in front of the whole group.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

Everyone could now sense the younger Winchester's suspicions, and Dean's heart broke because he knew that Bobby certainly wanted to know the truth, and so did Blaire. Sam would also, no doubt find out because Blaire would make sure that he did. She always said that whatever one of them knew, the rest should know too.

"Demonic omens." Bobby replied, "Like a friggin' tidal wave. Cattle deaths, lightning storms. They've sky rocketed from out of nowhere. Here..."

He turned a map around and circled Wyoming with his finger, and the others moved to get a closer look. The news was just going from bad to worse. Whatever was going to happen was massive, and to be frank, the Winchesters had no idea whether or not they were prepared for it.

"Except for one place." Bobby continued, "Southern Wyoming."

"Wyoming?" Dean asked.

"Yeah." Bobby replied, "That one area's totally clean. Spotless. It's almost as if..."

"As if it's being surrounded." Blaire finished, "Do you know why?"

It was surprising how calm everyone was given the circumstances. Bobby had done pretty good to say he'd done all this research by himself. This was a really big mess, yet nobody seemed too panicked. To be honest, panicking in this situation was no good, and there was a big chance that a lot of hunters who they needed the help of were dead, so keeping a cool head was the only way that they could get through it with any chance of coming out okay.

"No, and by this point, my eyes are swimming." The older hunter finished, "Sam, would you take a look? Maybe you can catch something that I couldn't."

"Yeah, sure." Sam replied.

"Come on, you two." Bobby said to the others, "I got some more books in the truck. Help me lug 'em in."

"Yeah." Dean said as he and Blaire followed the older man.

Passing her little brother, Blaire rubbed his shoulder gently, giving him her best reassuring smile. The group got into the graveyard of cars, and Bobby strode ahead, clearly very angry. Blaire had to run slightly to catch up with them, but Bobby spun around on Dean and the young woman got ready to intervene.

"You stupid ass! What did you do?" Bobby asked, grabbing Dean's jacket when he didn't answer, "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Blaire, who had never seen Bobby react like this, took his shoulders gently to steady him and pull him away from her brother, stepping in between them.

"Hey, take it easy, Bobby." She said as calmly as possible despite her fearful trembling, "Please?"

"You made a deal." Bobby breathed, "For Sam didn't you...How long they give you?"

"Bobby..." Dean began, watching his sister out of the corner of his eye as her hand went to cover her mouth.

"How long?" Bobby asked again, furious with the older Winchester.

"No, Dean...Dean, you didn't..." Blaire breathed, tears spilling from the corners of her tired, dulled eyes.

"One year." Dean replied, clearly getting emotional himself.

Blaire let out an anguished sob as she clutched at her hair, turning away from her brother and crying into her hands. As if losing one brother wasn't enough, now she was going to lose her other instead? No way. Her life just seemed to stop as the time limit got stuck in her head. One year...One year was all she had left with the boy who raised her? How dare he just give himself up? Even if it was for Sam, they should've just gotten on with it and made their peace with the fact that their brother was dead.

"Damn it, Dean." Bobby said, obviously disappointed in Dean.

"Which is why we gotta find this yellow-eyed son of a bitch." Dean told him, "That's why I'm gonna kill him myself. I mean, I got nothing to lose now, right?"

"How fucking dare you?" Blaire cried, launching herself at her brother as she started to punch his chest, "Why would you even say that?"

She let go of him and rested her hand on her hip, running a hand through her hair as she tried to dry her eyes. Bobby sighed and began to rub her back softly.

"What is it with you Winchesters, huh?" Bobby asked, "You, your dad...You're both just itching to throw yourself down the pit. Why is it the Winchester women who are the only ones with any sense?"

"That's my point." Dean said, "Dad brought me back, Bobby. I'm not even supposed to be here. At least this way something good can come out of it, you know?"

"How is this good?" Bobby asked, indicating Blaire and how upset she was.

"At least my life can mean something."

"What, and it didn't before?" Blaire asked tiredly, "You raised me...and Sam. You mean the world to us. You mean the world to Dad which is why he brought you back, so don't ever throw that in our faces again. It's an insult to his memory."

"I couldn't let Sam die, Bobby..." Dean breathed as he started to break, "I couldn't...He's my brother."

"How is your brother gonna feel when he knows you're going to hell?" Bobby asked, completely devastated, "How'd you feel when you knew your dad went for you?"

"You can't tell him." Dean said, "You take a shot at me, whatever you gotta do. Please, don't tell him. And you can't either."

He looked to Blaire at that point who looked at her brother like he was insane. He wasn't expecting her to actually hide this from Sam, was he?

"You're crazy." She told him, "He's part of this family! If I know, he's gotta know too!"

A rattling drove them out of their state, as all three hurried and crouched behind a car. A shadow that approached caused them to run out, and then they caught sight of Ellen. God, she was alive.

"Ellen!" Blaire cried, "Oh, thank God!"

With that she swept the older woman into a tight hug and held her close, stroking her hair and crying into her shoulder. Everything was just a giant mess, and she just needed a mother's love to get her through. Holding onto every last bit of hope she had, she took the comfort from Ellen's arms and tried to offer her comfort back.

* * *

"Bobby, is this really necessary?" Ellen asked as the older hunter slid a glass of Holy water over to her.

"It's just a belt of Holy water." Bobby said quietly, "It shouldn't hurt you."

Ellen took it down with no reaction, and she placed the glass on the table, looking at the others as she spoke.

"Whiskey, now...If you don't mind." She said, sliding the glass back over to Bobby.

Dean and Sam sat by the table, as Blaire did, with Bobby's hand rubbing soothing circles over her back. She was still shaking from the shock of everything, and vomited after returning to the house. Dean had also revealed that the 'spirits' of their parents that Blaire was seeing had in fact been illusions that old Yellow-Eyes had been setting on her from the start. That was according to the demon he'd dealt with, yet apparently her abilities were real. Some of the abilities, like the exorcism she performed on Sam, of course stayed out of their conversation. Dean was yet again, hiding things from his sister. Her reaction had been very contained and controlled, but Dean and Bobby were certain that one more piece of bad news would send her over the edge.

"What happened, Ellen?" Dean asked, "How'd you get out?"

"I wasn't supposed to." Ellen replied, "I was supposed to be in there with everybody else."

She let out a huff that was so venomous and bitter it made the room fill with the same feeling.

"But we ran out pretzels...of all things." The older woman continued, "It was just dumb luck."

Bobby slid a glass of whiskey across to her and she took the whole lot down. He slid a glass to Blaire who did the same and sent her glass back for more. She listened as Ellen began to talk about Ash and hid her face in her arms, which caused Ellen to spare her a glance.

"Anyway, that's when Ash called...Panic in his voice." She began, "He told me to look in the safe, then the call cut out. By the time I got back, the flames were sky high. Everyone was dead. I couldn't have been gone more than fifteen minutes."

"Sorry, Ellen." Dean whispered, choked up.

"A lot of good people died in there." She said solemnly, "And I got to live. Lucky me."

"You mentioned a safe, Ellen?" Blaire asked, speaking tiredly and looking tearful.

"A hidden safe that we keep in the basement." She replied as the others all looked across at Blaire.

"Demons get what was in it?" Bobby asked, earning a shake of the head from Ellen.

"No." She answered, passing a map across the table for the others to look at.

"Wyoming?" Dean asked, "What does this mean?"

* * *

"I don't believe it." Bobby said as he looked through a book, catching the attention of everyone who went to approach him to see what he'd found.

Ellen, who'd been talking with Blaire, was relieved to see the young hunter looking a little better. They needed her on top form for what they needed to do. It was very hard for her, the whole situation, and knowing she couldn't tell Sam what was going to happen to Dean was absolute torture.

"Each of these X's is an abandoned frontier church, all mid nineteenth century." Bobby explained, pointing to the x marks on the map, "And all of them built by Samuel Colt."

"Samuel Colt...The demon-killing, gun-making Samuel Colt?" Dean asked.

"Yep." Bobby replied, "And there's more. He built private railway lines connecting church to church. That just happen to lay out like this."

He connected the lines to form a star. Blaire stopped breathing as she stared at the map.

"Oh, my God..." She breathed, "It's a Devil's trap...Isn't it?"

"Yeah." Bobby replied.

"A hundred square mile Devil's trap." Sam said.

The whole group took in the news without any idea as to how to react. This seemed to be good news, but there'd be a catch somewhere because there always was. Blaire, Dean and Bobby had found that to be a very hard lesson to learn, but one they'd learned all the same.

"That's brilliant." Dean said, running his hand over his mouth, "Iron lines, demons can't cross."

"I never heard of anything that massive." Ellen confessed.

"No-one has." Bobby said, confirming her statement.

"After all these years, none of the lines are broken?" Dean asked, "It still works?"

"Definitely." Sam said.

"How do you know?" Dean asked sceptically.

"All those omens Bobby found." Sam said.

"Southern Wyoming was clean." Blaire added, "It makes perfect sense. Demons couldn't go there."

"They must be circling and can't get in." Sam told them.

"Yeah...Well, they're trying." Bobby said.

"Why?" Ellen asked, "What's inside?"

"That's what I've been looking for." Dean spoke up, "And there's nothing...except an old cowboy cemetery right in the middle."

"Why, what's so important about a cemetery?" Sam asked, "What's Colt trying to protect?"

"Well...Unless..." Blaire began, cutting herself off as she thought.

"Unless what?" Bobby asked.

"What if Colt wasn't trying to keep demons out?" Blaire asked, "What if he was trying to keep something in?"

That idea made a lot of sense. A devil's trap around a large cemetery, cemeteries that demons were trying to access? That didn't seem like a plan for protection of something. It seemed like a plan of protection _from _something. And that something was what worried everyone. What the hell was being kept locked up inside.

"Well...That's a comforting thought." Ellen said.

"Could they do it, Bobby?" Sam asked, "Could they get inside?"

"This thing's so powerful..." Bobby explained, "You'd practically need an A-bomb to destroy it. No way a full blood demon gets across."

"No...But I know who could." Sam said darkly, which began to worry the others greatly, especially Blaire and Dean, because both believed they knew exactly who Sam was talking about.

Jake.

* * *

The night air was growing incredibly cold which caused everyone to feel a chill as they stood in their hiding places in the cemetery.

Being amongst the dead wasn't very appealing to anyone but when Blaire could feel many of the spirits wandering around her, it made things feel a lot more uncomfortable. Jake's shadow passed the group in their hiding places and they began to quietly advance behind him. The urge to kill the little shit was almost too much to control for all of them.

"Howdy, Jake." Sam said, causing Jake to spin and lay his eyes on the group advancing on him.

Two more men, and two women, all armed, all looking like they were ready to kick some serious ass. Blaire wanted nothing more than to rip the crap out of him because of the pain he'd caused their family, and what he'd done to Sam.

"Oh, you...You were dead." Jake said, "I killed you."

"Yeah?" Sam asked, "Well next time, finish the job."

"I did." Jake spat, which made dread fill Bobby, Dean and Blaire, "I cut clean through your spinal cord, man... You can't be alive."

Sam shot a look towards his siblings, and Bobby, who all looked nervously between them. Blaire closed her eyes and swallowed, looking back at Jake.

"You a tough guy all of a sudden?" Jake asked, "What are you gonna do?"

"Oh, you don't wanna know." Blaire snapped, "You don't even wanna imagine what _any _of us are gonna do to you, sunshine."

"Kill me?" Jake asked.

"It's a thought." Sam snarled.

"More like a lifetime wish." Blaire added.

Jake began to laugh and looked towards Ellen, eyes flashing yellow. Blaire's stomach tightened into a big, nasty knot because she knew that Jake wasn't Jake anymore. She felt a surge inside her like she had when Sam was possessed and alarm bells began to ring because she didn't know what was happening.

"Hey, lady. Put that gun to your head." Jake said, and Ellen, despite her struggling did as he commanded, "See, that Ava girl was right. Once you give into it, there's all sorts of new Jedi mind tricks you can learn."

"Shoot him." Ellen said, clearly very, very scared.

"Everybody put your guns down." Jake commanded again, "Except you sweetheart."

Everyone did as he wanted and Jake inserted what looked like the Colt into the lock on the door he was facing, and while Dean and Bobby disarmed Ellen, Sam shot Jake in the shoulder, watching him smugly as he fell to the floor. The others watched a new look wash over Sam's face, like he'd enjoyed what he just did and they each got chills down their spine. They stopped as they watched the door lock finally break.

"Oh, no..." Bobby breathed.

"Bobby, what is it?" Ellen asked.

"It's Hell." Bobby said, and as Dean grabbed the Colt, the hunter yelled again, "Take cover!"

Everyone moved except Blaire who stood there with what appeared to be black eyes. Jet black. Dean and Sam yelled at her, as Bobby did, and eventually Dean ran around and grabbed her to pull her behind the same tombstone he was hiding behind. She began to mutter in Latin as her eyes became even darker, while hundreds of demons flew freely from the open doors in one horrendous crescendo.

"What the hell just happened?" Dean yelled as he held his bumbling baby sister closer.

"That's a damn Devil's gate!" Elle told him, "A door to Hell! Come on! We gotta shut that gate!"

Unbeknownst to them, one of the iron rail lines had been broken, and the yellow-eyed demon was on their trail. Dean stood up, leaving Blaire sat on the floor, and as he realised that the demon was behind him he turned with the Colt, only to have it ripped from his grasp and into the hands of the demon.

Blaire watched her family being hurt before her and with whatever strength she could muster, she stood up, closing her eyes and willing herself to believe. To believe harder than she ever had in her entire life. If John's spirit wasn't real, he had to still be in Hell, and if the gate had been opened, maybe he'd gotten out.

"Come on, Papa...Show me you're real." She breathed, "Let me know you're real!"

All of a sudden, as Dean was backed into a corner, bleeding, a shape formed behind the demon and everyone was shocked to see that it was none other than John. In that one moment, Blaire's belief was restored. John had the demon in his grip while the body lay on the ground, but in no time he was thrown away, and all Blaire felt was that power surge and she flew on top of the body with a hand to it's forehead, this time with no sound other than screams of hot white pain that flew down her spine. Blood began to drip from her nose and then the corners of her eyes became bloody, but it gave Dean just enough time to get the strength up to shoot the demon. She had to let go because of the consciousness leaving her and she was thrown to the side, flimsy like a ragdoll.

As the demon approached Dean, he took the shot. The demon was dying and the sight was a sweet relief. Ellen, Sam and Bobby all got the door shut, and turned to see none other than John standing before them. He turned to Blaire who lay still on the floor and he carefully took her into his arms and helped her to stand. She felt herself being embraced and as sobs began to hurl through her body she gripped onto her father, allowing him to help her over to Dean. He passed her across as though he was passing on a valuable treasure, and with looks of pride and relief being passed between father and his children, the other Winchesters began to cry. With that, John disappeared. It had just been nice to see their father again. Each one of the siblings had wanted him to stay forever. They'd wanted him back to help them fix their mess but he couldn't stay. And it broke their hearts.

They contemplated all that had happened. Each had a word with the demon to tell him that they'd avenged their mom. That finally they'd done what they had, all of it for her. And for their dad. And for Sam. But arriving back at the car, Sam questioned Jake's reaction to him being alive, which really brought on another horrible feeling that something was about to go very wrong. Dean had checked to make sure Blaire was okay. Her eyes were fine, her body was fine. But this time she knew what had happened. Considering what was about to come out, everyone knew that the conversation about Blaire would be waiting until another time.

"What happened? After I was stabbed?" Sam asked.

"I already told you everything." Dean replied.

"Not everything." Sam said, "Did I die?"

"Oh, come on..." Dean let out a huff of laughter and smiled.

Blaire boiled up with anger. She couldn't believe him. She decided that Dean was going to continue to dance around the subject, so she came to the conclusion that both brothers would get angry at her, but she didn't care. Enough was enough with the lies.

"Did you sell your soul for me like Dad did for you?" Sam asked.

"He did." Blaire said, "He has one year. You can both be pissed at me all you want, but it's time we all started to tell each other the truth, you know?"

Sam began to cry. Dean got upset. Begged Sam not to be mad at him. But Sam turned on Blaire too, and that really pissed Dean off.

"I made her promise not to tell you." Dean explained, "She's been put under so much pressure already, and it was a very wrong and cruel thing to do, but I didn't want you to know."

After more exchanged words, it was settled that the group were going to try and stop this deal. That Blaire and Sam, for once, were going to save Dean's ass. They shared a loving embrace. All of them, with Blaire in the middle and squashed between the strong arms of her brothers, and they shed their tears and made peace with the fact that they had another mission. They made peace with the fact that they'd all lied to each other and been lied to, and in a few moments of quiet, they all forgave one another for everything.

"Well..." Ellen began as she and Bobby approached, "Yellow-Eyed demon might be dead, but a lot more got through that gate."

"How many do you think?" Sam asked.

"A hundred...Maybe two hundred. It's an army." Dean replied.

"He's unleashed an army." Blaire said.

"Hope to hell you three are ready." Bobby told them, "Because the war's just begun."

"Well then..." Dean said, smiling at his siblings, "We got work to do."

-The End-

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